The Sensex reversed early gains and closed lower on Friday, as investors took to booking profit after gaining for eight straight sessions.

All sectors, except real estate index, on the NSE ended in the red. The Nifty banking index which touched an all-time high also succumbed to the overall decline.

The BSE Sensex closed 222.14 points lower at 38,164.61 while the Nifty declined by 64.15 points or 0.56 per cent.

The top gainers were NTPC, up 3.67 per cent followed by Larsen and Toubro, Asian Paints, Tata Steel and Power Grid, which advanced up to 1.60 per cent.