Sensex ends 97 points lower amid India-China face-off

Indian benchmark equity indices closed in the red in a volatile trading session on Wednesday as investors weighed the consequences of Indo-China border conflict.

After gyrating 600.70 points during the day, the 30-share index closed 97.30 points, or 0.29 per cent, lower at 33,507.92. It had hit an intra-day high of 33,933.66 and a low of 33,332.96.

Similarly, the NSE Nifty settled 32.85 points, or 0.33 per cent, down at 9,881.15. It touched a high of 10,003.60 and a low of 9,833.80 in the session.

Global markets

Europe’s shares added to their best gains in almost a month as safety plays lost their lustre on Wednesday, with hopes of a rapid economic recovery standing firm against a resurgence of global coronavirus cases.

In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei eased 0.5 per cent, after jumping almost 5 per cent on Tuesday for its biggest daily gain in three months. Chinese blue chips recovered from an early dip to finish steady. 

In the overnight trade, the Dow ended Tuesday up 2.04 per cent, while the S&P 500 gained 1.90 per cent and the Nasdaq 1.75 per cent.

In commodities, oil prices declined on Wednesday as data showed an increase in US crude and fuel inventories. Brent crude futures were down 29 cents, or 0.7 per cent, at $40.67 a barrel at the time of writing of this report, and US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures fell 43 cents, or 1.1 per cent, to $37.95 a barrel. 

(With inputs from Reuters)