Mumbai: The benchmark BSE Sensex extended losses by declining over 130 points in opening trad, as funds and investors indulged in booking profits in recent gainers amid a weak trend overseas.
The 30-share barometer, which had lost 54.53 points in the previous session, fell by 130.78 points, or 0.48 per cent, to 27,134.54. All the sectoral indices, except healthcare, were trading in negative zone with losses up to 0.97 per cent. Also, the broad-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty shed 36.15 points, or 0.44 per cent, to 8,116.80. Equity brokers said increased profit-booking by retail investors at higher levels amid weak trend on other Asian bourses following overnight losses on the US market dampened trading sentiment.
Meanwhile, the rupee also weakened by 23 paise to 60.83 against the US currency in early trade today at the Interbank Foreign Exchange market due to dollar's gains against other currencies overseas.
Among other Asian markets, Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell by 1.06 per cent, while Japan's Nikkei moved down by 0.38 per cent in early trade. However, the US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.57 per cent lower in yesterday's trade.
