Mumbai: After logging 1-1/2-week high on the first day of the week, the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex fell by 130 points to end the holiday-shortened week at 27,241.78 on sustained heavy sell-off by foreign funds amid profit-booking as this month's derivatives contract expired on December 24.
The BSE and the NSE remained closed on December 25 on account of "Christmas".
The market got no major trigger from overseas markets, following the Christmas atmosphere.
However, expectations of hike in interest rates by the US Federal Reserve as the American economy grew the fastest in more than a decade in third quarter, influenced sentiments.
Besides, it will strengthened the dollar and affect the inflows in emerging markets negatively, including India.
It also resulted in profit-booking by wary operators and retail investors.
The market also suffered a setback after the government was unable to get pass key legislative reform bills during the Winter Session of Parliament.
Failure to pass the GST Bill till now has led to market disappointment as it had discounted the successful approval of the Bill in the current session itself.
Besides, markets gave a mixed response to Jharkhand and Jammu & Kashmir election outcome.
The BSE 30-share barometer resumed the week higher and touched 1-1/2-week high of 27,851.10 after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's statement that India could well achieve 6 percent GDP growth next fiscal and a vision to achieve 9-10 percent economic growth afterwards, cheered participants.
Later, it fell back to one-week low of 27,091.38, before concluding the week at 27,241.78, down by 130.06 points, or 0.48 percent.
The 50-issue CNX Nifty of the NSE moved in a range of 8,364.75 and 8,147.95 before settling at 8,200.70, a net fall of 19.65 points, or 0.24 percent.
December 23 and 24 saw heavy profit-booking as December 24 was the last day of expiry of derivatives contract, chiefly in IT, oil & gas and capital goods shares, ignoring government approving the ordinance route to implement insurance and coal reforms.
Meanwhile, the Union Cabinet approved promulgation of the Ordinance on insurance bill, re-promulgation of the coal Ordinance and allowing up to 100 percent FDI in medical devices sector under automatic route.
"Lack of market cues both globally and domestically and liquidity drench owing to festive season in the West kept markets sideways for the day," said Rakesh Goyal, Senior Vice President, Bonanza Portfolio.
Brokers said they expect fresh foreign funds to flow after ongoing Christmas holidays and in the next calender year. Investors refused to take big risks ahead of year-end holidays.
Jignesh Chaudhary, Head of Research, Veracity Broking Services said, "The local indices traded weak and are heading towards their monthly fall to end the year as global markets are trading under pressure over slowdown concerns.
"The price sensitive shares traded low as FIIs continued to be on the selling side for the 12th session in a row till December 24 in local equities. In these twelve sessions, FIIs have sold shares worth Rs 8,595 crore which forced market to trade weak."
Trends in overseas markets, investments by FPIs, the rupee movements against the dollar and crude oil prices will dictate the near term trends, a analysts said.
Overall, 17 scrips out of 30-share sensex pack finished in the red while others ended in the green. Major losers were Hindalco 3.46 pct, L&T 2.77 pct, BHEL 2.74 pct, Tata Power 2.64 pct, Infosys 2.53 pct, Dr Reddy's Lab 1.92 pct, Tata Steel 1.74 pct, ONGC 1.50 pct, ICICI Bank 1.24 pct and RIL 1.24 pct.
However, Bharti Airtel rose by 3.38 pct, NTPC 3.03 pct, M&M 2.67 pct, ITC 2.00 pct, SBI 1.12 pct, Hero MotoCorp 1.11 pct, Axis Bank 1.09 pct and HDFC Bank 0.75 pct.
Among the S&P BSE sectoral indices, CG dropped by 1.79 pct, CD 1.38 pct, IT 1.12 pct, and Oil&Gas 1.10 pct while realty firmed up by 2.37 pct, auto 0.51 pct and bankex 0.51 pct.
Mid-cap shares were in demand while Small-cap stocks attracted profit-booking by retail investors, but both the indices outperformed the Sensex.
The total turnover at BSE and NSE was at Rs 9,516.37 crore and Rs 55,320.37 crore from Rs 17,034 crore and Rs 87,041.48 crore respectively last week.
