The Indian benchmark indices ended lower on December 12 with Nifty around 24,550 amid selling across the sectors and ahead of retail inflation data outcome later today, and Friday’s WPI inflation data.

At close, the Sensex was down 236.18 points or 0.29 percent at 81,289.96, and the Nifty was down 93.10 points or 0.38 percent at 24,548.70.

Despite positive global cues, the Indian market opened lower but erased all losses in the initial hours and remained flat in the first half. However, profit booking in the second half dragged the Nifty below 24,550 amid selling witnessed across the sectors barring Information Technology names.

Adani Enterprises, Tech Mahindra, IndusInd Bank, Bharti Airtel, Adani Ports were among the top gainers on the Nifty, while losers were NTPC, Hero MotoCorp, HUL, Coal India and BPCL.

Except IT, all other sectoral indices ended in the red with Media index down 2 percent and FMCG index shedding 1 percent.

BSE Midcap index shed 0.5 percent and Smallcap index was down 1 percent.

More than 250 stocks touched their 52-week high on the BSE, including, Chalet Hotels, EID Parry, Max Healthcare, Muthoot Finance, Cofirge, Tech Mahindra, Vedanta, Persistent Systems, Kaynes Technologies, Info Edge, Dixon Technologies, LTIMindtree, Infosys, Firstsource Solustions, HCL Technologies, Wipro, MphasiS, among others.