Sensex makes a muted start on profit-booking, mixed Asian cues; Rupee softens by 29 paise

Mumbai: The BSE Sensex declined about 67 points in early session today on profit-booking by speculators amid mixed Asian cues on worries over a US-China trade war.

The 30-share flagship index was down 67.80 points, or 0.18 percent, to 35,621.80. The gauge had soared 257.21 points in the previous session on Friday.

Sectoral indices led by oil and gas, auto, banking, PSU, power and infrastructure stocks fell by up to 0.53 percent. The 50-share NSE Nifty turned lower by 20.60 points, or 0.19 percent, at 10,801.25. Hero MotoCorp, Tata Motors, ICICI Bank, ITC Ltd, Axis Bank, PowerGrid, Maruti Suzuki, ONGC, HDFC Ltd, NTPC, RIL, Yes Bank, Coal India and SBI slid up to 1.39 percent. [caption id=“attachment_4357795” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters[/caption] Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 1,343.44 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 1,105.76 crore on Friday, as per provisional data. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng weakened 0.49 percent while Japan’s Nikkei lost 0.34 percent in early trade. Shanghai Composite Index, however, moved up 0.17 percent. US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.49 percent higher on Friday. Rupee dips The rupee weakened by 29 paise to 68.13 against the dollar in early trade today as demand for the American unit from importers and banks picked up. The domestic equity markets opening lower also put pressure on the rupee but the dollar falling to a two-week-low against the yen on global trade concerns capped the losses, dealers said. On Friday, the rupee had continued its rally for the third straight session, strengthening 14 paise to end at 67.84 against the dollar amid sustained unwinding of American currency by exporters.