The benchmark indices ended lower, albeir marginally, for the first time in three days after touching fresh five-week highs in the earlier part of the session.Profit-taking in select index heavyweights and the not-so-encouraging cues from the global front dragged both the benchmarks below their respective psychological levels of 20k and 6k respectively midway through the session before a partial recovery saw the BSE Sensex regaining the pivotal level towards close to end at 20015, lower by 44 points.
The Nifty, however, ended at sub-6k levels at 5984, down 16 points.
There was relative outpermance on the broader market front, with the midcap index ending at 7625, higher by seven points and the smallcap index ending at 9337, up 28 points.
The reversal in intra-day trend in the second half of the day could be attributed to the loss of momentum on the Asian front, with the Hang Seng and Nikkei retracting from the day's highs to end flat, and the unenthusing start on the European bourses.
The markets had closing at fresh five-week highs on Tuesday, led by firm world equities and investor optimism surrounding next year's prospects.
The oil and gas index shed nearly a percent at 10655 to emerge as the top sectoral
loser on the BSE, largely on account of weakness in RIL.
The index bellweather, which has been on an uptrend since the past couple of weeks, took a pause to end lower by 1.3% at Rs 1057. Maruti slid by 2.1% at Rs 1398 to top the losers list on the BSE. Reliance Infra shed 1.7% each at Rs 794 and HDFC Bank lost 1.5% at Rs 2179.
And information technology stocks saw some pressure after the stellar gains of the recent past that catapulted the IT index to new life-time highs. Wipro weakened by 1.4% at Rs 478 and TCS lost 0.8% at Rs 1149.
Among the space that stood out, the metal index had another good day to end higher by more than half a percent at 17208,. Hindalco Hindalco gained 1.9% at Rs 238 and Jindal Steel added 1.5% at Rs 695. Bharti Airtel strengthened by 3.1% at Rs 343 and Tata Motors added 1.1% at Rs 1365.
The market breadth was mildly positive at close.
Out of 3,061 stocks traded on the BSE, there were 1505 advancing stocks as against 1397 declines.
