State Bank of India falls 2 per cent, while HDFC Bank Ltd is down 0.5 per cent.

Falling for the fifth straight session, the BSE Sensex today closed 113 points down at a nearly two-week low as investors remained cautious ahead of the RBI second quarter monetary policy review. Prominent BSE Sensex losers at the close were ITC Ltd, State Bank of India (SBI), ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Hindalco Industries Ltd, Hindustan Unilever (HUL), Infosys Ltd, NTPC, Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries, Tata Steel and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).

Stock Markets Top Gainers, Top Losers

FMCG, metal, realty and banking shares witnessed heavy selling amid expectations of at least 0.25 per cent repo rate hike by RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan tomorrow.

The 30-share index, which had lost 210.37 points in previous four trading sessions, opened firm and hit the day's high of 20,771.36. However, bouts of profit-selling pulled the Sensex down to 20,570.28 -- registering a loss of 113.24 points, or 0.55 per cent over Friday's close. This is the lowest closing value since 20,415.51 (October 17).

The gauge's five day downtrend, its longest losing string in three months. Volatility was also high as market participants seemed direction-less on whether to roll over their positions in the equity futures & options (F&O) segment as contracts expire on Thursday, traders said.

On similar lines, the broad-based National Stock Exchange index lost 43.80 points, or 0.71 per cent to end at 6,101.10, after touching a low of 6,094.10. Also, SX40 index, the flagship index of MCX-SX, closed nearly 60 points down at 12,249.69.

Sectorally, the BSE FMCG sector index suffered the most by losing 2.56 per cent, followed by Realty (2.10 per cent), Metal (1.63 per cent) and Banking (1.20 per cent).

BSE Sensex falls 113 points, banks and FMCG shares drag

(Reuters) The BSE Sensex fell on Monday for a fifth consecutive session to mark its lowest close in nearly 1-1/2 weeks, as lenders and other interest rate-sensitive shares declined ahead of the central bank's monetary policy review on Tuesday.

The benchmark BSE Sensex fell 0.55 per cent, falling for a fifth straight session after hitting a string of near-three year highs last week. The broader Nifty lost 0.71 per cent.

Banking stocks fall on risk aversion ahead of the central bank's policy review on Tuesday where it is widely expected to raise interest rates by 25 basis points, while US Federal Reserve holds its policy meeting on October 29-30.

State Bank of India (SBI) falls 2.65 per cent, while DLF Ltd ended 3.33 per cent lower.

The expiry of the October derivative contracts on October 31 could further add to the volatility, traders say.

Consumer goods shares fall as July-September sales volume growth fails to surprise, analysts say.State Bank of India falls 2 per cent, while HDFC Bank Ltd is down 0.5 per cent.

Falling for the fifth straight session, the BSE Sensex today closed 113 points down at a nearly two-week low as investors remained cautious ahead of the RBI second quarter monetary policy review. Prominent BSE Sensex losers at the close were ITC Ltd, State Bank of India (SBI), ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Hindalco Industries Ltd, Hindustan Unilever (HUL), Infosys Ltd, NTPC, Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries, Tata Steel and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).

Stock Markets Top Gainers, Top Losers

FMCG, metal, realty and banking shares witnessed heavy selling amid expectations of at least 0.25 per cent repo rate hike by RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan tomorrow.

The 30-share index, which had lost 210.37 points in previous four trading sessions, opened firm and hit the day's high of 20,771.36. However, bouts of profit-selling pulled the Sensex down to 20,570.28 -- registering a loss of 113.24 points, or 0.55 per cent over Friday's close. This is the lowest closing value since 20,415.51 (October 17).

The gauge's five day downtrend, its longest losing string in three months. Volatility was also high as market participants seemed direction-less on whether to roll over their positions in the equity futures & options (F&O) segment as contracts expire on Thursday, traders said.

On similar lines, the broad-based National Stock Exchange index lost 43.80 points, or 0.71 per cent to end at 6,101.10, after touching a low of 6,094.10. Also, SX40 index, the flagship index of MCX-SX, closed nearly 60 points down at 12,249.69.

Sectorally, the BSE FMCG sector index suffered the most by losing 2.56 per cent, followed by Realty (2.10 per cent), Metal (1.63 per cent) and Banking (1.20 per cent).

BSE Sensex falls 113 points, banks and FMCG shares drag

(Reuters) The BSE Sensex fell on Monday for a fifth consecutive session to mark its lowest close in nearly 1-1/2 weeks, as lenders and other interest rate-sensitive shares declined ahead of the central bank's monetary policy review on Tuesday.

The benchmark BSE Sensex fell 0.55 per cent, falling for a fifth straight session after hitting a string of near-three year highs last week. The broader Nifty lost 0.71 per cent.

Banking stocks fall on risk aversion ahead of the central bank's policy review on Tuesday where it is widely expected to raise interest rates by 25 basis points, while US Federal Reserve holds its policy meeting on October 29-30.

State Bank of India (SBI) falls 2.65 per cent, while DLF Ltd ended 3.33 per cent lower.

The expiry of the October derivative contracts on October 31 could further add to the volatility, traders say.

Consumer goods shares fall as July-September sales volume growth fails to surprise, analysts say.