The BSE benchmark Sensex fell by over 151 points in opening trade on Friday as participants booked gains recorded in the previous session amid a weakening trend on other Asian bourses.

The 30-share Sensex, which closed 158.52 points higher in the previous session, fell by 151.47 points, or 0.95 per cent, to 15,707.02 in opening trade on Friday.

In a similar fashion, the wide-based National Stock Exchange Nifty Index shed 46.75 points, or 0.98 per cent, to 4,709.70.

Bucking the trend, stocks of retail firms were in good demand after the government cleared 51 per cent foreign direct investment in the multi-brand retail sector on Thursday.

Stocks of Pantaloon Ltd climbed 10.47 per cent to Rs 221.30, while Shopper’s Stop gained 7.39 per cent to Rs 399.75 after the government took a decision to allow 51 per cent FDI in the multi-brand retail sector, which was earlier off-limits to foreign players.

All the sectoral indices were trading in the negative zone, with losses of up to 1 per cent.

Brokers said apart from profit-booking by speculators after Thursday’s gains, a weakening trend in other Asian markets on concerns over the euro zone debt crisis dampened the trading sentiment at home.

Meanwhile, in the Asia region, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was down by 1.22 per cent and Japan’s Nikkei shed 0.32 per cent in morning trade on Friday. The US market was closed on Thursday for ‘Thanksgiving Day’.