Sensex falls 23 points in early trade

The 30-share index shed 22.72 points, or 0.11 per cent, to 19,982.28 with stocks of oil and gas, capital goods and auto leading the fall.

The index had gained 14.10 points in the previous session.

Similarly, the wide-based National Stock Exchange Nifty down 4.30 points, or 0.07 per cent, to 6,051.45.

Brokers said squaring-up of positions by participants as today being the last session of current month expiry in the derivatives segment, mainly dampened the sentiments.

Besides, a weak trend in the Asian region following overnight losses at the US markets after data showed the world's biggest economy unexpectedly shrank in the last quarter of 2012, too, had its shadow, they said.

Meanwhile, in Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index declined by 0.10 per cent, while Japan's Nikkei by 0.61 per cent in opening trade.

The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.32 per cent lower in yesterday's trade.

Stocks to watch-Jan 31

(Reuters): GLOBAL MARKETS ROUND UP

Nifty futures on the Singapore Exchange was flat. The MSCI-Asia Pacific index, excluding Japan was fell 0.5 percent.

Asian shares pulled back on Thursday from recent gains but sentiment was underpinned by optimism about global growth after the Federal Reserve kept its stimulus policy and by signs of stabilisation in the euro zone.

U.S. stocks fell on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve said in its latest statement that

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