<p>Mumbai: Benchmark equity indices declined in early trade on Thursday dragged by IT stocks and continuous foreign fund outflows.</p><p>The 30-share BSE Sensex declined 227.72 points to 70,832.59. The Nifty dipped 55.7 points to 21,398.25.</p>.<p>Among the Sensex firms, Tech Mahindra fell nearly 4 per cent after the company on Wednesday reported a 60 per cent decline in net profit to Rs 510.4 crore in the December quarter.</p><p>HCL Technologies, Infosys, Wipro, Axis Bank, Tata Consultancy Services, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and Kotak Mahindra Bank were among the other major laggards.</p><p>IndusInd Bank, NTPC, Hindustan Unilever, and the State Bank of India were among the gainers.</p>.<p>In Asian markets, Shanghai and Hong Kong were quoting in the positive territory while Seoul and Tokyo traded lower.</p><p>The US markets ended on a mixed note on Wednesday.</p><p>Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 6,934.93 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.</p><p>Global oil benchmark Brent crude climbed 0.36 per cent to $80.33 a barrel.</p><p>"Volatility is expected due to the January F&O contracts expiry. Negative catalysts include FIIs selling, WTI oil spiking, and diminishing prospects of the US rate cuts," said Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP (Research), Mehta Equities Ltd.</p><p>The BSE benchmark jumped 689.76 points, or 0.98 per cent, to settle at 71,060.31 on Wednesday.</p><p>The NSE Nifty ended 215.15 points, or 1.01 per cent, higher at 21,453.95.</p>
<p>Mumbai: Benchmark equity indices declined in early trade on Thursday dragged by IT stocks and continuous foreign fund outflows.</p><p>The 30-share BSE Sensex declined 227.72 points to 70,832.59. The Nifty dipped 55.7 points to 21,398.25.</p>.<p>Among the Sensex firms, Tech Mahindra fell nearly 4 per cent after the company on Wednesday reported a 60 per cent decline in net profit to Rs 510.4 crore in the December quarter.</p><p>HCL Technologies, Infosys, Wipro, Axis Bank, Tata Consultancy Services, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and Kotak Mahindra Bank were among the other major laggards.</p><p>IndusInd Bank, NTPC, Hindustan Unilever, and the State Bank of India were among the gainers.</p>.<p>In Asian markets, Shanghai and Hong Kong were quoting in the positive territory while Seoul and Tokyo traded lower.</p><p>The US markets ended on a mixed note on Wednesday.</p><p>Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 6,934.93 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.</p><p>Global oil benchmark Brent crude climbed 0.36 per cent to $80.33 a barrel.</p><p>"Volatility is expected due to the January F&O contracts expiry. Negative catalysts include FIIs selling, WTI oil spiking, and diminishing prospects of the US rate cuts," said Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP (Research), Mehta Equities Ltd.</p><p>The BSE benchmark jumped 689.76 points, or 0.98 per cent, to settle at 71,060.31 on Wednesday.</p><p>The NSE Nifty ended 215.15 points, or 1.01 per cent, higher at 21,453.95.</p>