The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex on Thursday fell by over 40 points or 0.23 per cent in early trade as investors sold shares to book profit after recent gains.

The Sensex fell by 40.44 points to 17,660.69 points. The index gained over 355 points in the last four sessions. The wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty also slipped by 10.15 points or 0.19 per cent to 5,271.65 points.