Sensex hits 2-1/2 month low as foreign investors sell

Tuesday, 4 February 2014 00:16 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

(Reuters) - The BSE Sensex fell 1.5% on Monday to its lowest close in nearly 2-1/2 months as foreign investors continued to sell as part of a slump in emerging markets, hitting blue chips such as ICICI Bank. Although India is seen in a better position than other countries such as Turkey due to its improved current account deficit and foreign exchange reserves, the country is being hit nonetheless. Foreign institutional investors sold shares worth a net $93 million on Friday, taking the total sales to $523 million in six sessions, regulatory data showed. Indian markets will thus continue to be beholden to global risk factors, including concerns about the Federal Reserve’s withdrawal in monetary stimulus and an economic slowdown in China. Fund investors worldwide pulled $6.4 billion out of emerging market stock funds in the week ended January 29, marking their biggest outflows since August 2011, data from a Bank of America Merrill Lynch report showed on Friday. The benchmark BSE Sensex fell 1.48%, or 304.59 points, to 20,209.26, closing at its lowest since November 13. The broader Nifty lost 1.44%, or 87.70 points, to 6,001.80, ending at its lowest since November 22. Both indexes posted their sixth fall in seven sessions. Shares weakened even as a survey on Monday showed Indian factories started 2014 on a high note, with activity growing at its fastest pace in nearly a year as domestic and overseas orders increased. Blue chips, which are most vulnerable to foreign selling, led declines.

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