Sensex loses sheen, IT, metal stocks weigh

Mumbai : The market got off to a muted start today on weakness in IT and metal stocks after participants took profit amid sluggish global pointers.

The 30-share BSE Sensex fell 54.59 points, or 0.16 per cent, to 33,288.21 in early session. The gauge had gained 582.36 points in the previous two sessions.Also, the wider 50-share NSE Nifty shed 22.10 points, or 0.21 per cent, to 10,261.50.Traders went about pocketing profit in those shares that have run up recently. Asia remained weak.

Among major Sensex losers, Cipla, ICICI Bank, Infosys, Tata Steel, M&M and SBI fell by up to 0.99 per cent, pulling the index down.Japan's Nikkei fell 0.56 per cent, Shanghai Composite 0.97 per cent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng 0.19 per cent.The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.43 per cent lower on Friday.