The Sensex ended 37 points lower at 5,103. The Nifty shed 9 points to close at 1,598.
Reliance closed Rs 1.5 higher at Rs 477. ITC and HLL ended with steep losses at Rs 1,019 and Rs 110.50, respectively.
Software stocks, too, closed at lower levels. Infosys was down 1.3% at Rs 1,480. Satyam slipped a per cent to Rs 334 and Wipro declined almost 2% (Rs 10) to Rs 534.
ONGC was up over 2% at Rs 691.
Cement stocks rallied smartly. Gujarat Ambuja zoomed 4% (Rs 12) to Rs 308, ACC and Grasim also finished with sharp gains.