Mumbai: The SENSEX opened steady and later came under pressure in keeping with mild slide in select key counters at early stages on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) due to lack of any worthwhile support and continuous selling triggered by fresh violence in Gujarat on April 21.

The BSE sensitive index opened steady at 3,364.18 as against close of 3,364.40 on April 19 and later moved in a narrow range between 3,370.72 and 3,338.64 before being quoted at 3,345.83 at 10:30 hours (IST).

While Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) which were net sellers during last week, generally remained sidelined, local operators were seen selling in select stocks in the light of fluid political situation and widespread violence in Ahmedabad and adjoining areas in which at least 17 people were killed, market sources said.

Players are watching political developments with pressure on the ruling BJP-led government to sack Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi over prolonged communal clashes in the state, they added.

PTI