Bears grip Sensex in FY16; investors poorer by Rs 7 lakh crore

Investor wealth too fell by nearly Rs 7 lakh crore during 2015-16 or over Rs 2,700 crore per trading session.

In its worst show in four fiscals, the market benchmark Sensex on Thursday ended 2015-16 with a yearly plunge of 9.36 per cent, leaving investors poorer by nearly Rs 7 lakh crore as global headwinds and foreign fund outflows pounded domestic equities during the year.

For the day, however, the index inched up by 3.28 points to 25,341.86 on caution due to carry-forward of positions to the April series and S&P putting China on negative outlook.

Broader market too remained strong as mid-cap and small-cap indices ended higher by 0.68 per cent and 0.46 per cent, respectively.

In March, the Sensex registered a rise of 10.17 per cent or 2,339 points and Nifty climbed 10.75 per cent or 751.35 points, making it the biggest monthly gain in over four years.

Heavy crash in commodity prices, first rate hike by the US Federal Reserve in nearly a decade, global slowdown, especially in China, and slower pace of key domestic reforms pulled Sensex by 2,615.63 points or 9.36 per cent during the year, its worst performance in a fiscal since 2011-12.

Investor wealth too fell by nearly Rs 7 lakh crore during 2015-16 or over Rs 2,700 crore per trading session.

NSE's Nifty dropped by 752.60 points or 9.72 per cent during the year to settle the fiscal at 7,738.40.

The rupee, at 66.26, lost ground against the dollar as it weakened by Rs 3.61 or 5.86 per cent during 2015-16.

During the day, after surging 141 points in early trade, the 30-share Sensex frittered away most of initial gains and slipped into the negative zone to hit a low of 25,223.22 before bouncing back to close 3.28 points or 0.01 per cent higher at 25,341.86.

The index had soared 438.12 points on Wednesday, the biggest single-day gain in nearly a month, tracking firm global trend after US Federal Reserve softened its stance on rate hikes.

The broader Nifty after shuttling between 7,777.60 and 7,702.00, closed 3.20 points or 0.04 per cent up at 7,738.40.

In stock specific action, Hindustan Zinc surged 4.77 per cent after the company announced it will pay highest ever dividend of Rs 10,141 crore, including Rs 3,000 crore to the government, to its shareholders for the 2015-16 fiscal.

Natco Pharma settled 4 per cent high after the company's board approved sale of 'Save Mart Pharmacy Stores' in the US, which is a non-core business of the firm.

Meanwhile, foreigners bought shares worth Rs 1,442.47 crore (Rs 14.42 billion) on Wednesday, as per provisional data.

Overseas, Asian markets witnessed a mixed trend with Shanghai composite and Taiwan up by 0.11 per cent and 0.09 per cent while Japan slipped 0.71 percent, Singapore dropped 0.31 per cent and Hong Kong down fell 0.13 per cent.

Europe opened lower with the UK's FTSE down 0.64 per cent, Germany's DAX 0.66 per cent lower and France's CAC shedding 1.16 per cent.