Sensex slips 188 points, profit-booking takes a toll

Mumbai: The benchmark BSE Sensex fell by over 188 points in early trade today due to profit-booking by investors after recent gains amid a lacklustre trade in Asia.

The 30-share barometer fell 188.30 points, or 0.76 percent, to 24,470.93, with metal, banking, IT, consumer durables, capital goods, PSU and oil and gas falling the most.

The index had gained 1,657.23 points in the last five sessions.

Also, the NSE Nifty dropped 49.85 points, or 0.67 percent, at 7,435.45.

Brokers said that apart from profit-booking in recent gainers, a weak Asian trend as fresh concerns about global growth driven by weak Chinese trade data hit sentiment here.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng was trading lower by 0.62 percent and Shanghai Composite was down 2.42 percent in early trade. Japan's Nikkei shed 1.59 percent.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.64 percent lower in yesterday's trade after oil prices fell.