\n<\/p>\n
Indian shares ended slightly lower on Monday as heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East offset bets of a Federal Reserve rate cut later this month.<\/p>\n
Also helping cap the downside, China’s top leaders have pledged to loosen monetary policy and provide more support for the slowing economy<\/span>.<\/p>\n In geopolitical news, the anti-government rebels on Sunday announced full control of Homs, the third main city in the nation, and the capital Damascus after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled the country, ending a fifty-year regime.<\/p>\n Russian media reported that the ousted President had been granted asylum in Moscow on humanitarian grounds.<\/p>\n The focus also shifted to U.S. consumer price inflation (CPI) data, due out later this week that could influence the future interest rate trajectory and foreign inflows into emerging markets<\/span> such as India.<\/p>\n The benchmark S&P BSE Sensex dropped 200.66 points, or 0.25 percent, to 81,508.46, extending losses for a second day running.<\/p>\n The broader NSE Nifty index closed at 24,619, down 58.80 points, or 0.24 percent, from its previous close. <\/p>\n FMCG stocks led losses, with Nestle India, Hindustan Unilever and Tata Consumer Products falling 2-4 percent after Godrej Consumer Products warned of a challenging demand environment and external pressures affecting its key business<\/span> segments. Shares of the latter plummeted nearly 9 percent. <\/p>\n Tata Motors and Asian Paints both fell around 2 percent while Larsen & Toubro rallied 2.3 percent and Wipro climbed 2.7 percent. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n