Mumbai, Oct 18 (UNI) The BSE Sensex declined on Wednesday by 24.81 points in a lacklustre trade to end negative at 32,584.35 due to brisk selling in select stocks such as Materials, Health Care, Technology and Bankex. The Nifty of National Stock Exchange (NSE) also shed by 23.60 points to 10,210.85. In a lacklustre trading session today, the Sensex fell by 51 points to 32,518 in early trade. During the day, it crashed by 147 points to a day's low of 32,462.85, before closing at 32,584.35, sliding by 24.81 points as compared to its last close. It registered a day's high at 32,670, up by 61 points. The Nifty registered a day's high and low at 10,236.45 and 10,175.75 points, respectively. Heavy selling in sectoral indices like Technology, Bankex, Consumer Durables and Materials put pressure on the market for the second day today. However, fresh buying in Powergrid, Oil & Gas and Utilities capped its further losses, brokers said. Overall, trading sentiment was dull ahead of a long Diwali holiday weekend. Among the secondary indices, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index closed unchanged. The Small-Cap index also closed flat. The market breadth was negative on BSE, as 1,390 shares declined while 1,292 rose and 129 were unchanged. The stock market will remain close for two days, on Thursday and Friday, on account of Diwali festival. However, the market will open for annual 'Muhurat' trading on occasion of Diwali Laxmi Pujan, which will be held between 1830 hours and 1930 hrs.

The sectoral indices that fell were Technology down by 1.86 pc, Bankex by 1.79 pc, Health Care by 0.80 pc, Consumer Durables by 0.57 pc and Consumer Discretionary Goods & Services by 0.49 pc. While, Utilities by 1.31 pc, Oil & Gas by 1.24 pc and Powergrid by 1.21 pc, edged higher. Telecom stocks also declined. Bharti Infratel shed by 3.22 pc, Reliance Communications by 1.47 pc, Idea Cellular by 1.67 pc and Bharti Airtel by 0.96 pc. Private lender Axis Bank tumbled 9.28 pc to Rs 465.55 due to sharp rise in bad loans in its Q2 result which was announced after trading hours on Tuesday. The bank's net profit rose 35.5 pc to Rs 432.38 crore on 0.9 pc increase in total income to Rs 13,820.62 crore in Q2 September 2017 over Q2 September 2016. It major Wipro rose 2.07 pc to Rs 295.50 after the company reported that its consolidated net profit jumped 5.13 pc to Rs 2,189.60 crore on 1.48 pc decline in net sales to Rs 13,423.40 crore in Q2 September 2017 over Q1 June 2017. The result was announced after trading hours yesterday.

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