Sensex (BSE sensitive index) opened firm at 3728.65 and later moved in a range of 3747.93 and 3651.01 before closing steady at 3672.63 as compared to last Wednesday's close of 3672.71. The BSE-100 index also showed a fractional downward variation at 1617.29 from previous close of 1618.16. Brokers said early higher levels provided operators with an opportunity to book profits by squaring up positions at the end of account as well as the concluding session of the last settlement of the current financial year. The high badla rates of around 4 to 5 per cent per month fixed on the Calcutta Stock Exchange alsounnerved operators resulting in increased selling pressure. The current market favourite sectors like infotech and FMCG stocks witnessed a mixed trend while pharma and others dropped significantly.

According to dealers, the major losers were Reliance, ITC, Telco, HLL, Pentafour Software, Reckitt and Colman, Sun Pharma, Glaxo, E Merck, Smithkline Pharma, Novartis, Cipla, IPCA, Burroughs Welcome, Infosys Tech, NIIT, Rolta, Silverline, SRF Infotech and VSNL. While some of the counters which rose sharply and hit the upward circuit filter. The total volume of business was Rs 2086.61 crore. Pentafour software remained the most active with a turnover of Rs 336.99 crore.