Mkts snap 5-day rally; Sensex falls 609 pts

Rising global crude prices, depreciating and persistent foreign fund outflows weighed on sentiment of participants

Market benchmarks Sensex and Nifty wilted under selling pressure on Friday after a five-day rally as investors pared exposure to banking, financial and consumer durable stocks amid mixed trends in global markets.

Rising global crude prices, a depreciating rupee and persistent foreign fund outflows further weighed on sentiment, traders said.

Profit-taking also came into play as the 30-share BSE Sensex tanked 609.28 points or 0.82 per cent to settle at 73,730.16. During the day, it lost 722.79 points or 0.97 per cent to 73,616.65. The NSE Nifty declined 150.40 points or 0.67 per cent to 22,419.95.

On a weekly basis, the BSE benchmark advanced 641.83 points or 0.87, and the NSE Nifty climbed 272.95 points or 1.23 per cent.