Sensex succumbs to late sell-off; auto, IT slip

Benchmark Sensex ended marginally lower in volatile trade on Wednesday after cautious investors trimmed their portfolios ahead of corporate results despite firm global cues.

Profit-booking in auto, IT, oil and gas, tech and healthcare stocks dragged down the index. The Sensex opened a shade higher at 33,929.61 and advanced to 33,998.37, before falling to a low of 33,765.43.

It recovered some lost ground on value-buying and finally ended the day at 33,793.38, down 18.88 points, or 0.06 per cent. The gauge had lost 244.57 points in the previous two sessions.

The broader NSE Nifty finished at 10,443.20, up just 1 point, or 0.01 per cent. Intra-day, it hovered between 10,503.60 and 10,429.55.