Mumbai: The sensex opened strong and later tended to move lower due to selective selling pressure during morning trading on the Stock Exchange today (Mar 15, 2004).

The BSE Benchmark 30-share Index opened firm at 5745.06 as against last Friday's (Mar 12, 2004) close of 5700.40 but later met with resistance and dropped to a low at 5729.71 before being quoted at 5733.86 at 10.30 hrs (IST).

Key counters like Infosys Tech, Satyam Computers, HLL, HPCL, Zee Telefilms, SBI, RIL, Bharti Televentures, BHEL and a few others were quoted remarkably up.

However, Tisco, Tata Motor, GACL, MTNL, ITC and Wipro showed marked falls due to selling pressure.

Meanwhile, brokers expected firm trend in software stocks with some profit booking in PSU shares as a result of close of the massive ONGC issue.

However, GAIL, Sun Pharma, E-serve, IPCL, Lupin and Container Corp were among the prominent losers.