The benchmark index reflecting the volatile movements after crossing 980 points (intra-session) at mid-session, slipped back to close 16.90 points down at 957.34 points.

Stock broker said FIIs after remaining major buyers in early trading particularly at infotech and some pharmaceutical company stocks, turned sellers towards at the fag-end of the session which mainly reversed an early upward trend.

They said fears that FIIs continued to remain sellers on the Indian bourses in view of approaching year ending also forced domestic players to reduce their positions.

Domestic financial institutions were also seen reshuffling their portfolio by off-loading positions in high-priced stocks and creating fresh positions in B group shares, they added. ``Besides FIIs, domestic players also pressed sizeable selling today,'' said a DSE broker. ``Shares failed to maintain higher levels as players preferred to take away profits at every rise,'' felt another stock broker.

The trend-setters and petrochemicals major, Reliance Industries, after remaining firm for the major part of the session, touched the day's high of Rs 234.25 on sizeable buying by bull operators amidst some short-covering by bear operators succumbed to late selling and ended Rs 3.75 down at Rs 226 while Reliance Petroleum shed 45 paisa at Rs 54.50.

Tata Steel, largest steel maker in the private sector, after moving between Rs 138 and Rs 143.60 on hectic buying and selling by operators and financial institutions finally ended Rs 2.85 down at Rs 138.40.

State Bank of India after showing some strength in early trading, recovered to Rs 230.90 on the back of increased purchases by domestic financial institutions, succumbed to late selling and ended Rs 5.90 down at Rs 222.50.Amongst automobile company stocks, Telco dropped by Rs 2.35 to close at Rs 224.10, Apollo Tyres shed 85 paisa at Rs 105.15 despite favourable corporate reports but LML Ltd shares remained in fine shape mostly enthused by reports that promoters are buying the entire stake of the Italian partner, Piaggio, in an out-of-the-court settlement and spurted by Rs 4.35 or 8 per cent to remain locked at Rs 59.15.

Pharmaceutical stocks such as Ranbaxy Laboratories lost Rs 3 to Rs 934 due to selling by profit-takers while Glaxo India ended Rs 15 down at Rs 725. Coming to the infotech segment, Satyam Computer shares down Rs 7.85 to Rs 1604.15, Pentafour Software lost Rs 54.15 to Rs 633.90 and Silverline Industries shares declined sharply by Rs 21.40 to Rs 430.50.