The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex on Thursday fell by 79 points in opening trade on selling in metal, capital goods and realty stocks by funds, which took cues from weak global markets.

The 30-share index lost 79.20 points, or 0.48 per cent, at 16,416.85 points in the first five minutes of trading. The wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty fell by 28.60 points, or 0.47 per cent, to 4,903.25 points.