Global turmoil haunt markets this week

Investors turned cautious this week owing to negativity across the globe. Growing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and North Africa pushing crude oil prices higher and political uncertainty back home weighed on the markets. Wobble in DMK and Congress relations on seat sharing ahead of elections in Tamil Nadu disturbed investors back home. Ongoing crises in Libya and protest in Saudi Arabia revived fears of further unrest in the world's top exporter. Adding to the negative tone, a ratings agency's downgrade of Spain reignited euro-zone debt concerns, and disappointing economic data from China and the United States heightened global growth worries. Already worried investors got a further jolt on Friday after a massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan, rattling world stocks. The Indian markets fell in three out of five sessions of the week.

The Sensex swung in a broad range of around 525 points between a high of 18583 and a low of 18059 and closed the week at 18174, down by 312 points or 1.69%. The Nifty swung 155 points during the week and closed at 5445, down 93 points or 1.68%.