Equity benchmark indices ended lower today amid a broad-based selloff with Sensex settling below the 74,000 level and Nifty retreating from a record high as investors pared exposure to telecom, capital goods and tech stocks.

The 30-share BSE Sensex plunged 733 points or 0.98 per cent to settle at 73,878 after soaring 484.07 points earlier in the day. From its intra-day high of 75,095.18, the Sensex declined 1,627 points to the day’s low of 73,467.73.

The NSE Nifty also tanked 172 points or 0.76 per cent to settle at 22,475.85. The benchmark hit a record 22,795 in the early trade, up 146.5 points or 0.64 per cent.

From the Sensex basket, Larsen & Toubro, Maruti, Reliance Industries, Nestle India and Bharti Airtel were among the major laggards.
    

On the other hand, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, M&M, SBI and ICICI Bank were the major gainers. In the broader market at the BSE, the Midcap sector slipped 0.21 per cent, while the Smallcap index fell 0.55 per cent. In sectoral indices at the BSE, the Telecommunication sector slipped 1.40 per cent, the Consumer Goods sector declined 1.20 per cent and the Realty sector fell 1.10 per cent. In contrast, the Metal sector gained 0.80 per cent while the Healthcare sector rose 0.15 per cent. 

In the forex market, the rupee closed at 83 rupees and 43 paise against the US dollar today.

The dollar index, which indicates the US dollar’s strength against a basket of six other leading currencies was down at 105.20 in intra-day trade.

Gold prices declined today in the futures market. The precious metal was lower by 101 rupees or 0.14 per cent, trading at 70,635 rupees per ten grams. Silver futures for July contracts were down by 163 rupees or 0.20 per cent, trading at 81,200 rupees per kilogram when the reports last came in.

In the global markets, gold was trading 0.04 per cent lower at 2,308 dollars and 60 cents per ounce on Comex. Silver was trading 0.22 per cent down at 26 dollars and 77 cents per ounce in the intra-day session.