Sensex falls for 2nd day, ends 29 pts lower on weak earnings

The 30-share index closed 29.03 points lower, or 0.15 per cent, at 19,468.15, dragged down by RIL, Infosys and Dr Reddy's. It had lost 111 points in the previous session.

Shares of refinery, IT, Healthcare and Teck declined on heavy selling pressure while Auto, Banking and FMCG firmed up.

Similarly, the wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty fell by 9.55 points, or 0.16 per cent, at 5,887.40.

Brokers said the Sensex hovered around the year's lowest levels as funds booked profits on steady inflow of dismal quarter earnings by leading companies.

Dr Reddy's Laboratories, DLF Ltd and Bajaj Auto declined after they posting weaker-than-expected third-quarter earnings, traders said.

Dr Reddy's lost 3.55 per cent, DLF dropped 2.03 per cent, Bajaj Auto slid 1.41 per cent and Maruti shed 0.81 per cent.

RIL and Infosys also closed down around one percent each.

The oil and gas sector index fell the most by 0.83 per cent to 8,928.35 followed by IT index by 0.58 per cent to 6,477.68. Healthcare index lost 0.30 per cent to 7,899.28 and Teck index by 0.27 per cent to 3,778.69.

Weak Asian trends and lower opening in Europe before the outcome of G-20 Finance Ministers meeting, also dampened the sentiments here.

Asian stocks ended mixed as key benchmark indices in Hong Kong, and South Korea moved up by 0.08-0.13 per cent while

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