Sensex slumps 102 points on profit-booking, Nifty cracks below 7,700-level

Mumbai: The benchmark Sensex fell almost 102 points and the NSE Nifty cracked below the 7,700-level in early trade today as investors booked profit in recent gainers amid weak Asian cues.

Caution in view of a long weekend dominated sentiment as markets will remain closed tomorrow and Friday on account of 'Holi' and 'Good Friday', respectively.

The 30-share barometer declined 101.74 points, or 0.40 percent, to 25,228.75, with sectoral indices of banking, healthcare, consumer durables, capital goods and IT losing steam.

The index had risen over 653 points in the previous three sessions.

Also, the NSE Nifty slipped below the crucial 7,700-mark by falling 19.80 points, or 0.26 percent, at 7,695.10.

Brokers said a sluggish trend at other Asian markets tracking overnight losses in the US after yesterday's deadly terror attacks in Brussels was mainly responsible for a break in the 3-session long rising streak.

Shares of Lupin, HDFC Ltd, NTPC, ICICI Bank, RIL, Sun Pharma, SBI, HDFC Bank, ITC Ltd, Cipla, Hindustan Unilever, L&T and Dr Reddy's succumbed to profit-booking, which dragged down the indices.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was quoting 0.26 percent lower while Japan's Nikkei shed 0.04 percent in early trade. Shanghai Composite was also down 0.31 percent.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.23 percent lower in yesterday's trade.