Indian shares fall as auto, metals slide; Paytm down - Reuters

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The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) building is pictured next to a police van in Mumbai, India, August 24, 2015. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui/File Photo

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BENGALURU, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Indian shares extended their slide on Monday, after seeing their biggest fall in seven months in the previous session, as autos, metal, and energy stocks led losses amid concerns around the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

The blue-chip NSE Nifty 50 index (.NSEI) was down 1.2% at 16,826.10 by 0351 GMT, while the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex (.BSESN) slid 1% to 56,525.39.

The Nifty Auto Index (.NIFTYAUTO) dropped 2.47%, with Ashok Leyland (ASOK.NS) and Tube Investments of India (TBEI.NS) being among the worst hit in early trading.

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Other drags included the metal and energy indexes (.NIFTYMET), , down about 1.5% each.

Heavyweight Reliance Industries (RELI.NS), however, rose 1.5% after the company's telecom venture, Jio, said on Sunday it will raise its prepaid tariffs by 21%, matching hikes by rivals Bharti Airtel(BRTI.NS) and Vodafone Idea Ltd (VODA.NS).

Shares of One 97 Communications Ltd (PAYT.NS), the parent of fintech firm Paytm, fell 3.44%.

The company, which reported its earnings publicly for the first time since its stock market debut this month, said net loss for the three months through September widened by 8.4% as expenses rose. read more

Global markets, meanwhile, rebounded, as investors latched on to hopes the variant of concern would prove to be "mild", while oil prices bounced more than $3 a barrel.