Sensex Today | Stock Market LIVE Updates: GIFT Nifty hints a weak start; US markets fall, Asia trades mixed

Indian equity markets extended the losing streak on fifth consecutive session on August 17, amid selling seen PSU bank, IT, pharma and FMCG names.

At close, the Sensex was down 281.09 points or 0.36 percent at 77,728.16, and the Nifty was down 78.35 points or 0.32 percent at 24,287.65.

The broader market outperformed, with Nifty midcap index ending flat and smallcap index rising 0.36 percent.

Biggest Nifty losers were Infosys, Sun Pharma, HCL Tech, Nestle, TCS, while gainers included Hindalco, Tata Steel, Axis Bank, HDFC Life and ONGC.

On sectoral indices front, IT index down nearly 2%, while metal index rose 1.2% and Realty index up 1.5%.