Indian equity benchmarks decline

The Indian equity benchmarks fell on Friday after rising for three-straight sessions led by losses in banking and auto stocks, reports NDTV Online.

The 30-share BSE Sensex slipped 191 points or 0.33 per cent to close at 57,124, and the broader NSE Nifty moved 69 points or 0.40 per cent down to settle at 17,004. Both the domestic indices traded on a highly volatile note as a continued global surge in the Omicron coronavirus variant kept investors on the edge.

Mid- and small-cap shares finished lower as Nifty Midcap 100 index plunged 1.05 per cent and Nifty Small-cap 100 index cracked 0.52 per cent.

Grasim, NTPC, Eicher Motors, ONGC and Mahindra & Mahindra were among the losers.

On the flip side, HCL Tech, Tech Mahindra, SBI Life, Asian Paints and Wipro attracted gains.

14 out of 15 sector gauges -- compiled by the National Stock Exchange -- settled in red. Nifty PSU Bank, Nifty Bank and Nifty Auto plunged as much as 1.94 per cent. However, Nifty IT outperformed the index by rising as much as 0.98 per cent.

The overall market breadth stood negative as 1,580 shares advanced while 1,749 declined on BSE.