Indian benchmark indices opened lower today (20th Dec.2021) as investors continue to track the spread of the Omicron Covid variant. The World Health Organization recently warned that the number of cases is doubling in 1.5 to 3 days in areas with community spread.
That apart, Asian stocks dropped in early trading today after China slashed its benchmark lending rate for the first time in more than one-and-a-half years. The move likely indicates policymakers' concerns around the slowing economic growth in China, which worried investors.
The BSE Sensex quoted 653 points lower at 56,358 level while the Nifty50 broke below the 16,800-mark at 16,795, down 190 points. Both the indices were down over 1 percent each. In the broader markets, the BSE MidCap and SmallCap indices fell 2 percent each.
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