The Sensex shed 45 points to close at 5,714. The Nifty was down 15 points at 1,797.
Technology stocks were under selling pressure from the word go. Infosys declined 1.8% (Rs 32) to finish at Rs 1,686. Wipro slumped 2.4% (Rs 15) to Rs 622, and Satyam ended nearly 2 (Rs 8) lower at Rs 390.
ITC shed 1.8% (Rs 20) to Rs 1,124. However, Reliance and HLL bucked the falling trend, while the former gained 1.3% (Rs 7) at Rs 547, the latter finished 1.6% (Rs 2) higher at Rs 127.
HPCL plunged 2% (Rs 7) to Rs 326, and ONGC dropped a per cent to Rs 790.
SBI declined 2% (Rs 10) to Rs 480, and ICICI Bank was down Rs 2 at Rs 296. HDFC Bank, however, closed unchanged at Rs 430.
HDFC advanced 3.5% (Rs 23) to Rs 668.
While Bhel rallied 1.5% (Rs 9) to Rs 614, Larsen & Toubro dropped 1.3% (Rs 11) to Rs 849.
Tisco declined over a per cent (Rs 4) to Rs 290, and Hindalco was down Rs 9 at Rs 1,360.
Auto stocks, too, succumbed under the selling pressure. Hero Honda tumbled 3% (Rs 14) to Rs 431. Maruti and Tata Motors slipped 2.4% each to Rs 368 and Rs 427, respectively. Bajaj Auto was down a per cent (Rs 10) at Rs 1,017.
Grasim slumped 2.4% (Rs 28) to Rs 1,144. Gujarat Ambuja declined Rs 6 to Rs 355, and ACC ended a rupee lower at Rs 274.
Cipla and Dr.Reddy's shed 2% each to Rs 288 and Rs 746, respectively. Ranbaxy lost 1.5% (Rs 16) at Rs 1,076.
While Reliance Energy tripped 1.5% (Rs 10) to Rs 670, Tata Power lost 1.2% (Rs 4) at Rs 316.
Zee ended 2% (Rs 3) lower at Rs 156.