Indian equity benchmark Sensex slipped 770 points to
close below the 59,000-mark on Thursday as selling pressure intensified as
global cues turned in favour of bears.

Among sectoral indices, except auto index, all other
indices ended in the red with oil & gas, IT realty, capital goods indices
losing 1-2%. BSE midcap and smallcap shredded 0.9% and 0.4% respectively.

The 30-scrip BSE Sensex closed 770.31 points or 1.29%
lower at 58,788.02. Similarly, the NSE Nifty slumped 219.80 points or 1.24% to
close at 17,560.20.

Top sensex loser HDFC dropped by 3.23%, Infosys by 2.76%,
L&T by 2.36%, Bajaj Finserv by 2.20% and Tech Mahindra by 1.87%.

Top sensex gainers ITC by 1.14%, Maruti by 0.86%, Titan
by 0.46%, SBI by 0.05%, and Asian Paints by 0.03%.

25 of the Sensex constituents closed with losses while 5
were marginally higher.

Nifty top gainers were Hero Moto Corp by 2.30%, Bajaj
Autos by 2.09%, Divi’s lab by 0.93%, Maruti Suzuki by 0.75% and ITC by 0.58%.

Among the laggards were HDFC by 3.50%, ONGC by 2.98%, SBI
Life by 2.88%, Grasim industries by 2.87% and Infosys by 2.84%.  

Among Asian bourses, Tokyo closed in the red, while Seoul
was positive.

Other Asian markets such as China and Hong Kong were shut
for the Lunar New Year holidays.

European Stock exchanges were trading on a mixed note in
mid-session deals. International oil benchmark Brent crude slipped 0.65% to USD
88.89 per barrel.

According to stock exchange data, foreign institutional
investors (FIIs) remained net sellers in the capital market, offloading shares
worth Rs 183.60 crore on Wednesday.

The Indian rupee declined 5 paise to close at 74.88 (provisional) against the US dollar on Thursday