The domestic benchmark indices today continued their downward trend for the fifth straight session amid broad-based selling pressure and lacklustre second-quarter earnings reports. The BSE Sensex tanked 663 points, or 0.8 per cent, to close at 79,402, while the NSE Nifty dropped 219 points, or 0.9 per cent, to settle at 24,181.

In the global crude market, Brent Crude was trading half per cent up at 74 dollars and 75 cents per barrel, and WTI Crude gained over half per cent to trade at 70 dollars and 58 cents per barrel when the reports last came in.

In the Indian bullion market, the 24 Karat gold was trading down at 78,050 rupees for 10 grams, and the silver 999 fine was also trading down at 95,960 per kilogram when reports last came in.