The BSE benchmark Sensex on Wednesday snapped a three-day winning run to end around 13 points lower as cautious investors booked profits in stocks like ICICI Bank, HDFC, TCS and Tata Steel ahead of monthly settlement in the derivative segment.
Sensex, which had gained 487 points in the last three sessions and reached one-week highs, declined by 13.18 points, or 0.07 per cent to 20,147.64. Tracking overnight gains in US where Dow Jones Industrial Average hit record high, Sensex had touched intra-day high of 20,216.49 at the outset today but trading was marred by bouts of volatility.
Traders said investors also appeared to be avoiding taking fresh positions ahead of Friday's fourth quarter GDP data release while a weak rupee, which touched a 10-month low today, was fanning fears that inflation will rise soon.
Similarly, wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty eased by 6.95 points, or 0.11 per cent to 6,104.30.
"Tomorrow is Futures and Options (F&O) expiry day and volatility is likely to be seen within 6050-6150 levels. Nifty has shown good recovery from lower levels...," said Nidhi Saraswat, Senior Research Analyst, Bonanza Portfolio Limited.
However, MCX-SX flagship index, SX40 today closed 0.9 points, or 0.01 per cent, higher at 11,948.17.
Selling was more confined to recent outperformers like Infosys, Tata Consultancy, ICICI Bank, GAIL India, HDFC, State Bank of India, BHEL, Maruti and L&T.
In 30-share Sensex, 17 stocks declined, while 12 gained led by Sun Pharma which rose 7.09 per cent and hit all-time high. Reliance Industries (RIL) inched up by 0.49 per cent on selective buying and saved the market from a major fall.
Sectorally, the BSE Realty sector index fell the most by 2.50 per cent to 1,786.45, followed by 1.13 per cent drop in metal index, banking index lost 0.82 per cent and power index by 0.77 per cent.