Indian share prices fell 0.39 percent on Thursday, ending a run of 10 straight record closings, as investors locked in gains amid weakening regional market sentiment, dealers said. They said buying waned after Wall Street shares sank Wednesday, ahead of a key September employment report that could signal the direction of US interest rates.
The Mumbai stock exchange's Sensex index fell 69.9 points or 0.39 percent to 17,777.14, after gaining 518.42 points on Wednesday. The Sensex had risen more than 11 percent in the past two weeks, led by strong overseas fund flows, now at a record 13.62 billion dollars for the year.
Banking, software and oil stocks fell. Losers led gainers 1,612 to 1,164 on volume of 65.4 billion rupees (1.65 billion dollars). Banking stocks fell on concerns that India's central bank, the Reserve Bank of India, would raise the cash reserve ratio (CRR) for commercial banks, ahead of its monetary policy review on October 31.
Private sector ICICI Bank fell 26.65 rupees or 2.45 percent to 1,061.35 while HDFC Bank fell 18.15 rupees or 1.28 percent to 1,404.2. State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) fell 38.65 rupees or 3.77 percent to 985.95.