Key Indian equity indices on Thursday traded on a subdued note in the mid-afternoon session with heavy selling pressure in banking, auto and metal stocks.
According to market observers, investors traded with caution on futures and options (F&O) expiry day, as well as ahead of the second quarter GDP data announcement later in the day.
Around 1.20 p.m., the wider Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) traded lower by 82.50 points or 0.80 per cent at 10,278.80 points.
The barometer 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 33,542.50 points, traded at 33,318.47 points -- down 284.29 points or 0.85 per cent -- from Wednesday's close.
The Sensex touched a high of 33,576.20 points and a low of 33,272.75 during intra-day trade.
The BSE market breadth was bearish -- 1,420 declines and 1,134 advances.
"Sensex fell over 100 points in opening trade on Thursday against the previous session's closing ahead of the key fiscal deficit and gross domestic product data due later. Nifty breached the 10,300-mark to take the markets further down," Dhruv Desai, Director and Chief Operating Officer of Tradebulls, told IANS.
On Wednesday, the indices closed on a flat note with minimal losses. The NSE Nifty50 closed 8.95 points or 0.09 per cent lower at 10,361.30 points, while the BSE Sensex closed at 33,602.76 points -- down 15.83 points or 0.05 per cent.
--IANS
ppg/sac
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
