62 percent at Rs.1,145.25; BHEL, down 1.59 percent at Rs.2,202.70; Reliance Industries, down 1.37 percent at Rs.1,899.90 and Hindalco, down 0.74 percent at Rs.93.95.

Data with the market watchdog, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), showed that foreign funds were net buyers, lapping up scrips worth $28.7 million Thursday.

In other Asian markets, the Nikkei 225 Stock Average, a key index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, inched up with auto majors Honda and Nissan coming up with quarterly profits. It ended trade at 10,165.2 points, up 51.97 points.

The Hang Seng, the primary index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, too ended in the red at 20,234.08 points, down 98.58 points.

Key European indices opened higher and were ruling in the green with the FTSE of Britain was ruling at 4,605.91 points, up 58.38 points as mining and energy companies posted positive quarterly results.

The French index, CAC 40, was at 3,402.23 points, 36.61 points higher than its previous close, and its German peer DAX, too, was trading in the green at 5,300.5, up 30.18 points.

Futures of key US market indices were ruling higher pointing to a strong opening of the main indices Thursday.