Sensex (BSE sensitive index) opened at 4585.22 and moved between 4591.77 and 4552.47 before closing at 4578.87, showing a marginal loss of 7.05 points from the previous close of 4585.92. The BSE-100 index, however, reported a small increase of 1.18 points at 2152.54 from the previous close of 2151.36.

Brokers said operators turned very cautious following the sudden withdrawal of foreign funds from the market. They preferred to wait and watch FII activity in the light of approaching end of the current year the period during which FIIs generally book profits to meet the redemption pressures.

Local operators made only small buy/sell transactions in line with squaring up business on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) that had the last day of current account. Of the 145 specified shares, 96 registeredsubstantial losses while 44 scored handsome to modest gains and five remained unchanged.

Pentafour Software clocked the highest turnover of Rs 355.39 crore of the total volume of business of Rs 2284.82 crore. Pentafour dipped by Rs 39.15 to Rs 691, Zee Telefilms by Rs 21 to Rs 5215, Ranbaxy by Rs 9 to Rs 970, ACC by Rs 6.90 to Rs 196, Hindustan Lever by Rs 13.70 to Rs 2285, ITC by Rs 7.00 to Rs 748, NIIT by Rs 31 to Rs 2244, SBI by Rs 2.30 to Rs 228.20 and Telco by Rs 1.50 to Rs 226 on selling pressure. However, Himachal Futuristic, Silverline, Hindalco, Infosys Tech, Mahindra and Tisco gained ground.