add add Sensex opens down 54 pts on profit booking

Mumbai ;The benchmark BSE Sensex opened lower today after a five-session record-setting spree as investors cashed profits in metal, capital goods, consumer durables, power and banking shares ahead of January month expiry in the derivatives segment tomorrow.

The BSE 30-share barometer dropped by 54.30 points or 0.15 per cent to 36,085.68 in opening trade as index major Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank and Bharti Airtel declined.The gauge had rallied 1,368.93 points in the previous five back-to-back record-setting sessions on sustained foreign fund inflows. It had closed at record high of 36,139.98 yesterday after touching an intra-day high of 36,170.83.

The NSE Nifty index too retreated from record by falling by 26.45 points, or 0.23 per cent, at 11,057.25.Yesterday, it had closed at record high of 11,083.70 points after scaling an all-time high (intra-day) of 11,092.90.Brokers said investors turned cautious and preferred to log gains at record levels ahead of tomorrow’s January expiry in the derivatives segment, pulling down the key indices from record highs.