NEW DELHI: Reliance Communications, with over 1.12 crore shares changing hands, was leading the pack of most traded stocks on NSE.It was followed by GMR Infra (number of shares traded: 1.02 crore), JP Associates (0.73 crore), Suzlon Energy (0.52 crore), Vakrangee (0.36 crore), IDBI Bank (0.27 crore) and Adani Power (0.23 crore).On the other hand, HCL Tech (Rs 117.82 crore) was leading among the most active stocks in value terms.It was followed by Tata Consultancy Services (Rs 89.52 crore), BPCL (Rs 79.80 crore), Infosys (Rs 78.62 crore), Reliance Industries (Rs 70.81 crore), Tech Mahindra (Rs 67.97 crore), HDFC Bank (Rs 67.18 crore) and Tata Motors (Rs 55.85 crore).Equity markets were under pressure during early trade on Thursday, tracking weak global cues.Asian stocks plummeted to nine-month lows on Thursday on concerns that the approach of the US to curb Chinese investment in US technology firms may harm global economic growth, Reuters reported.
Macro indicators such as rising crude oil prices and weakening rupee too hit market sentiment.
The rupee on Thursday opened at an all-time low against the US dollar, breaching the 69 level for the first time.Oil prices jumped on Wednesday as plunging US crude stockpiles compounded supply worries in a market already uncertain about Libyan export, Reuters reported.
Moreover, investors were on the sidelines on the last of June series of future and option contracts.The NSE Nifty index was trading 26 points down at 10,645, while the BSE Sensex was down 50 points at 35,167 around 09:30 am.In the Nifty index, 17 stocks were trading in the green, while 33 were in the red.Infosys, Mahindra Mahindra, Zee Entertainment, HCL Technologies and Tata Steel were among the top gainers in the Nifty index.However, HPCL, Grasim Industries, BPCL, Coal India and NTPC were among the top losers in the Nifty pack of stocks.