Sensex opens 70 points down

The BSE benchmark index Sensex fell by over 70 points in the early trade on Monday, as participants engaged in profit-booking amid concerns over rising global crude prices.
  
The 30-share barometer, which had lost over 500 points in the previous three sessions, moved further down by 70.30 points, or 0.39 per cent, to 17,853.27 points in the early trade.
  
The wide-based Nifty of the National Stock Exchange declined by 27.35 points, or 0.50 per cent, to 5,401.95 points.
  
Brokers said continued profit-booking, mainly in realty, banking, capital goods and auto stocks on concerns that rising crude prices in global markets could revive inflation worries dragged the index down.
  
Meanwhile, in the Asian region, the Hong Kong's Hang Seng index gained 0.69 per cent, while Japan's Nikkei was quoted 0.54 per cent higher in the early trade on Monday.