Sensex, Nifty Turn Lower Amid Uncertainty Around Fed Easing

(RTTNews) - Indian shares traded lower on Friday amid signs of escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and uncertainty over the pace of U.S. interest-rate cuts this year. The benchmark S&P BSE Sensex was down 345 points, or half a percent, at 74,692 while the broader NSE Nifty index slipped 102 points, or half a percent, to 22,651.

Kotak Mahindra Bank, Maruti Suzuki India, Asian Paints and JSW Steel fell 1-2 percent while Tata Motors, Coal India and Divis Laboratories all rose over 1 percent.

NTPC climbed 1.7 percent as its subsidiary NTPC Green Energy shortlisted four investment banks to manage its Rs 10,000 crore initial public offering.

Sun Pharma declined 1.6 percent after halting trial of its Parkinson's disease drug. TCS was marginally higher ahead of its Q4 earnings release.

Vodafone Idea fell about 3 percent on reports it will launch a Rs 20,000 crore follow-on public offer (FPO) on April 18.