Mumbai, Aug 7 The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) benchmark Sensex fell by 181 points during opening trade on Friday. The fall was due to the selling by foreign funds and retail investors, tracking other weak Asian markets. The 30-share index, lost nearly 390 points, or 2.45 per cent in Thursday's highly volatile session. On the last working day of the week, it lost another 181.16 points, or 1.16 per cent at 15,332.87.

Marketers feel that selling pressure gathered momentum on domestic bourses largely following a weakening trend on other Asian bourses.

Sources said the stocks of auto, metal and realty sectors, which had risen sharply in the recent rally, were under pressure as funds and investors indulged in booking profits at higher levels.

In the auto sector, Mahindra and Mahindra was down by 2.60 per cent at Rs 859, Maruti Suzuki 1.25 per cent at Rs 1,346.90 and Tata Motors 2.70 per cent at Rs 407.

Following the shadow of the BSE the Nifty index of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) fell by 50.85 points, or 1.10 per cent at 4,534.65,during the opening trade. (ANI)