Uncertainty ahead of the Union Budget and rising toll of the coronavirus globally led the Indian equity markets to end in the red on Thursday. The benchmark Sensex closed below the 41,000-point mark as the government confirmed the first coronavirus case in Kerala.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said one positive case of coronavirus from Kerala has come to light.Stock markets across Asia and Europe fell on Thursday, with investor sentiment remaining weak on fears of an increasingly severe outbreak of the SARS-like virus that originated in central China”s Wuhan and has now claimed over 170 lives.

The Sensex closed at 40,913.82 down 284.84 points while the Nifty ended at 12,035.80 lower by 93.70 points.