Stock markets end lower with Nifty below 23,900

New Delhi, June 30 -- Indian stock markets on Tuesday ended lower in a volatile sessionwith the Nifty closing below the 23,900 mark.

The indices erased their early gains and oscillated between gains and losses. At close, the Sensex was down 249.70 points or 0.33 percent at 76,478.67, and the Nifty was down 80.50 points or 0.34 percent at 23,865.75.

Nifty midcap index surged 0.4 percent, and smallcap index added 1 percent. Among the sectors, Nifty IT suffered a strong loss of 2.73%, and ended as the top loser, and Nifty FMCG shed 0.68%. The Nifty IT index has lost 30% this year so far.

Further, Bank Nifty dropped 0.32%, and the Financial Services index declined 0.16%. The sectors posting strong gains were Nifty Realty up by 1.31% and Cons...