Sensex falls over 250 pts, Nifty tests 23,650; realty, bank stocks drag

Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty50, opened lower on Thursday, influenced by negative global cues ahead of the December-quarter earnings season. Major laggards included SBI, L&T, Zomato, Adani Ports, and UltraTech Cement, while Kotak Mahindra Bank, M&M, Asian Paints, and Infosys opened higher. The earnings season, starting with Tata Consultancy Services, is expected to direct market movements.