Closing Bell: Nifty below 24,100, Sensex slips 326 points; defence, energy stocks weigh

Indian equity benchmarks ended lower on August 19, with the Nifty settling below the 24,100 mark. At the close, the Sensex declined 325.78 points to 76,909.68, while the Nifty fell 76.60 points to 24,078.30. Sector-wise, the IT index was the sole gainer, rising 0.7%, while all other sectoral indices finished in negative territory. The Defence index dropped nearly 1.5%, followed by a 1.2% decline in the Energy index. Disclaimer: Investment in securities market are subject to market risks