Markets end in red on profit-booking; Sensex down 284 points

Mumbai: A slew of macroeconomic factors and profit-booking pulled down the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex by 284 points to end at 22,403.89 this week.

Flat manufacturing growth, drop in core sector industries data, lower monsoon forecast and tensions mounting over Ukraine affected the sentiment. The HSBC survey for April showed manufacturing sector remained 'steady' even as domestic demand made up for fall in exports.

Growth in eight core sector industries decelerated to 2.6 per cent in 2013-14, the lowest in almost a decade, said government data. Investor worries over developments in Ukraine lingered on as the US has already announced some sanctions and has threatened to impose more economic sanctions on key sectors of Russia's economy.

The Sensex resumed higher at 22,717.59 and moved in a range of 22,721.36 and 22,284.96 before ending the week at 22,403.89, disclosing a loss of 284.18 points, or 1.25 per cent. The NSE 50-share Nifty also dropped by 87.95 points, or 1.30 per cent, to end at 6,694.80. Shares of metal, capital goods, realty, power and auto sectors were the major losers during the week.