Markets suffer biggest loss in 6 weeks; Sensex plunges over 360 points

The slide in the markets came after the barometer 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE touched its new record intra-day high of 33,865.95 points in intra-day trade early.

New Delhi: The BSE benchmark Sensex on Tuesday fell over 360 points on bouts of profit-booking mainly in healthcare, consumer durables and banking stocks.

The slide in the markets came after the 30-share Sensex touched its new record intra-day high of 33,865.95 early.

The BSE Sensex settled lower by 360.43 points or 1.07 percent to 33,370.76 after moving in range of 33,865.95 and 33,341.82. The broader Nifty too declined by 101.65 points or 0.97 percent to end at 10,350.15.

Both indexes posted their biggest percentage loss in nearly six weeks. Reliance Industries lost 2.8 percent, while Lupin Ltd shares dropped as much as 18.3 percent to its lowest in nearly four years after US Food and Drug Administration issued warning letter to two of its facilities.

The BSE market breadth was bearish -- 1,899 declines and 853 advances.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 576.27 crore yesterday, as per provisional data released by stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 263.84 crore.