After much volatility through the day, the Indian markets closed in the red on Tuesday dragged down by profit-booking in recent outperformers and weak sentiment owing to falling trading volumes and foreign investors resuming sell-offs.
The BSE Sensex closed at 19,464, down 0.58 per cent or 113.57 points from its previous close and the NSE Nifty closed at 5,858, down 0.70 per cent or 41.30 points from its previous close.
Except consumer durables and healthcare all sectoral indices closed in the red on the BSE led by realty index which tumbled the most by 1.78 per cent followed by auto which fell by 1.13 per cent.
Alex Mathews, Head Research, Geojit BNP Paribas Financial Services, said: "Profit booking and weak European markets made the markets close in the negative. The market breadth changed from positive to negative as there were 1,124 stocks seen advancing against 1,224 stocks declining."
On the NSE, Ranbaxy, Lupin, GAIL, Airtel and BHEL were the top gainers while Jindal Steel, DLF, Axis Bank, Reliance Infra and Tata Power were the top losers.