Mumbai: Market benchmark Sensex on Monday fell to a 20-month low after plunging 266.67 points to 24,188.37, dragged down by a massive dip in exports, while Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) cracked over 5% on crude oil slipping below $28 per barrel.

Moreover, muted earnings and widening trade deficit to $11.6 billion in December as against $9.1 billion in the year-ago period, further battered the market mood, which is already rattled by depreciating rupee and concerns over health of the Chinese economy.

Banking shares continued under pressure with the Nifty Bank index hitting 15-months low on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).

At 03:03 p.m. Nifty Bank index, gauge of private and public sector bank index, was down 1.7% or 257 points at 15,614 as compared to 0.47% decline in the Nifty 50. The bank index hit an intra-day low of 15,453, its lowest level since October 13, 2014, in early morning trade.

The BSE Sensex pared some losses after falling over 300 points in the early trade on Monday and closed 109.29 points down at 24,825.04 following weak global cues. NSE Nifty settled 37.50 points down at 7,563.85.

In the 50-share index, Vedanta, Reliance Industries, Tata Motors, Grasim and Maruti Suzuki gained between 1.65 per cent and 4.90 per cent. On the other hand, Wipro, Mahindra & Mahindra, Adani Ports, Tech Mahindra and Dr Reddy’s Labs slid between 2.70 per cent and 3.50 per cent.

The benchmark BSE Sensex extended losses on a fourth straight day as it fell by over 378 points while NSE Nifty dipped below the 7,700 level in early deals as further sell-off in China forced the market to halt trading for the second time this week. In addition, weakness in the rupee against the American currency too weighed on the sentiment.

Asian markets were in deep red with Shanghai shares crashing 7.32 per cent, forcing authorities to suspend trading, less than half an hour after opening. The fall came amid worries over slowing growth in the world’s second-largest economy, which have roiled investors worldwide, and with pressure on its currency from capital outflows.

Benchmark share indices ended at their lowest closing level in three week amid a sell-off in late trades after weak economic data from China and devalution of the yuan sparked global growth concerns while the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle-East also dampened sentiment.

The S&P BSE Sensex ended down 174 points at 25,406 and the Nifty50 closed 44 points lower at 7,741.

NEW DELHI: The domestic equity market traded rangebound on Tuesday, tracking mixed cues from other Asian and European markets. While the Chinese state authorities intervened to ease the panic in the market, the volatility in stocks kept investors nervous, hampering initiation of fresh positions on the benchmarks.

The S&P BSE Sensex lost 43 points, or 0.17 per cent, to close the day at 25,580. Nifty50, the 50-stock barometer, closed at 7,785, down 6.69 points, or 0.1 per cent. Tata Steel and GAIL were the top gainers in the index.

MUMBAI: The benchmark BSE Sensex tanked by over 538 points in one of its worst falls in over three months to 25,622.87, tracking global sell-off amid concerns over slowdown in China and escalating tension in the Middle East.

In addition, India's manufacturing sector output shrinking to a 28-month low in December and fresh weakness in the rupee, accelerated selling activity.

Markets scaled higher on the last day of December derivatives series due to strength in energy and index heavyweight shares such as HDFC and Infosys.

The S&P BSE Sensex ended higher 158 points at 26,118 and Nifty50 ended up 50 points at 7,946.

The BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty snapped a two-day winning streak on Wednesday on the back of unwinding of long positions ahead of the derivatives expiry, coupled with profit bookings. Sensex closed 119.45 points down at 25960.03, while Nifty settled 32.70 points down at 7,896.25.

Depreciation in Indian rupee too dampened sentiments. The rupee was trading lower by 4 paise to 66.43 against the dollar at the time of equity markets closing at the Interbank Foreign Exchange market on increased month-end demand for the US currency from importers.

Markets have turned range bound in the morning trades amid absence of any fresh triggers as traders maintained a cautious stance ahead of the expiry of December F&O contracts.

At 11:45am, benchmark indices were showing a divergent trend with S&P BSE Sensex up 13 points at 26,048 and Nifty50 down 6 points at 7,918.

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