Mumbai, Nov. 18 -- The headline equity indices slipped today, ending a six-session rally. Weak global markets sparked profit booking as hopes of a U.S. Fed rate cut in December faded, dampening sentiment. Investors also turned cautious ahead of this week's U.S. jobs data, which is expected to guide the Fed's policy outlook.

Tuesday's session saw added volatility due to the weekly derivatives expiry. The mood eased even though reports suggested progress in negotiations on a possible India-U.S. trade pact. The Nifty closed below 25,950, weighed down by IT and metal stocks.

The S&P BSE Sensex declined 277.93 points or 0.33% to 84,673.02. The Nifty 50 index lost 103.40 points or 0.40% to 25,910.05. In the past six consecutive sessions, the ...