The BSE Capital Goods Index was the highest gainer rising a huge 12.27 per cent since the start of the year even as the benchmark BSE Sensex fell 4.51 per cent.
From January 03 to April 25, 2005, the BSE Sensex fell 4.51 per cent from 6679.20 to 6377.85 but the BSE Capital Goods Index gained 12.27 per cent from 3015.17 to 3385.11 making it the top-performing index on the BSE.
Investors in healthcare or pharmaceutical stocks were the biggest losers with the BSE Healthcare Index the worst performing index dropping a whopping 20.27 per cent since the start of the year till April 25 from 3070.26 to 2448 points.
Investors in IT, media and telecom stocks were the second biggest losers with the BSE TECk Index tanking 8.68 per cent from 1769.70 points to 1616.08 points during the period.
After being underperformers for most of 2004, consumer durable and FMCG indices have staged a quiet comeback with the second and third ranks respectively. BSE Consumer Durable Index was the second biggest gainer after the BSE Capital Goods Index rising 4.27 per cent from 3015.17 to 3385.11 during the period under review.
The BSE FMCG index occupies the number three slot rising a modest 1.73 per cent during this period from 1064.28 to 1082.64.
The BSE Bankex was the only other index, which showed positive growth during this period rising 0.99 per cent from 3754.26 to 3791.40 ranked number four.
The index of the broad market, the BSE 500 fell 4.38 per cent from 2825.95 to 2702.21 marginally lower than the 4.51 per cent drop in the Sensex and was thus able to modestly outperform the Sensex and was ranked at number five.
The BSE Midcap Index - the BSE 200 underperfomed the Sensex falling 5.51 per cent from 900.80 to 851.17 and was ranked at number nine.
The third biggest loser in percentage terms was the BSE Auto Index, which lost 8.37 per cent from 2898.65 to 2656.05 and was ranked at spot 13.
Auto scrips have taken a beating on the bourses faced with rising crude oil prices and as prices of inputs like steel rose.
The BSE IT index was ranked number 12, making it fourth from the bottom as it fell 7.20 per cent from 2654.22 to 2463.14.
IT stocks fell after Infosys' weak guidance for the first quarter of the current fiscal and TCS' disappointing results. IT stocks are under pressure due to slowdown in the US economy - the main market and rupee appreciation.
Public Sector companies too underperformed the Sensex with the BSE PSU Index ranked at number 11 losing 6.98 per cent during the period from 4505.12 to 4190.80.