The BSE Sensitive Index declined from the day's high of 3108.83 points to finish at 3090.72 points with a net loss of 30.58 points against the previous close of 3121.30. The BSE-100 index drifted lower by 11.16 points to 1372.22 from Thursday's close of 1383.38.

Brokers said the sentiment was affected mainly by the absence of speculative support and lack of institutional buying. The fall in other Asian stock markets also cast its shadow. Led by tobacco scrip, ITC, index heavyweight shares like HLL, Telco and others registered substantial fall on selling by foreign funds.

FIIs sold ITC, HLL, SBI, Reliance and others. Domestic institutions, however, picked up shares of Gujarat Ambuja, Reliance, M&M, ITC, and HLL in small lots.

On the NationalStock Exchange (NSE), pivotals declined gradually, moving in a narrow range on profit-taking and sustained selling pressure by the FIIs and domestic funds to square up positions on the last day of current settlement at the BSE. The S&P CNX Nifty closed at 901.65, with a loss of 8.45 from the last close of 910.10. The total turnover was Rs 1,374.17 crore. The exchange witnessed 502 scrips advance, 453 scrips decline and 115 scrips remain unchanged. About 49 securities had hit their price bands.