At the stock markets, key indices ended lower for the second straight day today while the rupee posted sharp losses against the dollar.

The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange lost 192 points, or 0.5 per cent, to close at 38,685.

The Nifty dropped 46 points, to 11,598. At the forex market, the rupee plummeted 76 paise, to 69.17, against the dollar.

Gold fell 80 rupees, to 32,670 rupees per ten grams in Delhi. And, Brent crude futures rose 31 cents, to trade at 69.62 dollars a barrel.