Diwali fails to light up stock mkts

the policy front," said Motilal Oswal, CMD, Motilal Oswal Financial Services.

The Sensex had dipped by over 150 points in Muhurat trading in 2007.

On the global front, Asian stocks, barring Singapore which was closed today, ended lower between 0.18 per cent and 1.81 per cent as as lingering uncertainty over the US fiscal outlook and the next tranche of financial aid to Greece prompted a fresh wave of selling.

European markets were also trading lower in the afternoon.

Back home, 17 out of 30 sensex-based scrips finished with losses while others settled with gains. HDFC was the top loser with a fall of 1.33 per cent, followed by Dr Reddy's Lab (1.18 pc), Tata Motors (1.18 pc), Infosys (0.91 pc), SBI (0.85 pc) and TCS (0.69 pc). Bharti Airtel rose by 1.02 per cent, ONGC by 0.57 per cent, Tata Steel by 0.56 per cent and RIL by 0.34 per cent.

Reflecting good buying in second-line stocks, the market breadth, despite closing lower, turned positive as 1,837 stocks ended with gains while 799 closed with losses.

The total turnover was at Rs 968.37 crore.