Among gainers on the Sensex were Bharti Airtel, up 5.84 percent at Rs.404.85; Tata Motors, up 4.41 percent at Rs.441.75; DLF, up 2.91 percent at Rs.373.10, and Sun Pharma, up 2.73 percent at Rs.1,238.60.

Prominent among the losers were Tata Steel, down 4.2 percent at Rs.443.70; TCS, down 4.11 percent at Rs.519.45; Hindustan Unilever, down 2.32 percent at Rs.257.05, and Infosys, down 1.87 percent at Rs.2,042.75.

According to data with the regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), foreign institutional investors bought shares worth $146.9 million Wednesday.

In other Asian markets, the Nikkei 225 Stock Average, a key index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, closed 150.46 points in the red at 10,435 points, a loss of 1.42 percent compared to its previous close.

The Hang Seng, the primary index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, too, was ruling in the negative terrain at 20,435.24 points, down 638.97 points or 3.03 percent.