Among the losers on the Sensex were DLF, down 6.58 percent at Rs.398.05; Tata Steel, down 5.77 percent at Rs.441.90; Sterlite, down 5.53 percent at Rs.621.15 and Sun Pharma, down 5.24 percent at Rs.1,188.25.

Data with the market watchdog, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), showed that foreign funds were net buyers, lapping up scrips worth a little over $153.1 million.

In other Asian markets, the Nikkei 225 Stock Average, a key index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange closed marginally up with investors turning cautious as more corporate results were awaited. It ended trade at 10,113.24 points, up 25.98 points.

The Hang Seng, the primary index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, too ended in the red at 20,135.5 points, down 489.04 points.

Key European indices opened higher and were ruling in the green on the back of gains in banking and chemical shares. While the FTSE of Britain was ruling at 4,574.73 points, up 45.89 points, its French peer CAC 40, was at 3,382.38 points, 51.41 points higher than its previous close.

The German DAX too was trading in the green at 5,277.53, up 102.79 points.