Weak global cues drag equity markets; Sensex close 127 points down

Weak global cues led the key Indian equity markets on Friday to provisionally close the day`s trade in the red. Heavy selling pressure was witnessed in the automobile, consumer durables and banking sectors.

The wider Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) ended at 8,170.05 points -- down 33.55 points or 0.41%.

The sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 26,742.26 points, provisionally closed at 26,635.75 points (at 3.30 p.m.) -- down 127.71 points or 0.48% from the previous day`s close at 26,763.46 points.

During the intra-day trade, the Sensex touched a high of 26,972.06 points and a low of 26,620.50 points. The BSE market breadth was tilted in favour of the bears -- with 1,361 declines and 1,218 advances.

Sectorwise, the S&P BSE automobile index plunged by 186 points, followed by the consumer durables index, which declined by 81.61 points; and the banking index fell by 76.13 points.