Mumbai, Oct. 31 -- The headline equity benchmarks ended sharply lower on Thursday, declining for the second consecutive session as investors booked profits amid a weak global setup and renewed concerns over the US Federal Reserve's policy outlook.

After a positive start, markets failed to hold on to early gains and slipped into negative territory during the mid-session. Selling pressure intensified in the latter half, dragging indices to the day's lows by the close. The Nifty 50 ended slightly above the 25,750 mark, with sharp losses in metal and healthcare stocks pulling the index lower. However, PSU bank stocks defied the trend.

The S&P BSE Sensex tumbled 465.75 points or 0.55% to 83,938.71. The Nifty 50 index fell 155.75 points or 0....