Equities trade flat-to-negative on negative global cues

Mumbai, March 15 : Key Indian equity indices on Thursday traded on a flat-to-negative note during the mid-afternoon trade session following broadly negative Asian markets, coupled with selling pressure in oil and gas, banking and metal stocks.

Around 12.45 p.m., the wider Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) fell by 16.40 points or 0.16 per cent to trade at 10,394.50 points.

The barometer 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 33,843.47 points, traded at 33,797.11 points -- down 38.63 points or 0.11 per cent from the previous session's close.

The Sensex has so far touched a high of 33,866.28 points and a low of 33,733.50 points during the intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was however bullish with 1,556 advances and 920 declines.

"Markets opened flat following Asian markets which traded in the negative following cues from the US markets overnight," said Dhruv Desai, Director and Chief Operating Officer of Tradebulls.

On Wednesday, the key Indian indices trimmed their losses to close trade on a flat note with marginal losses aided by healthy macroeconomic data, along with a sharp recovery in banking stocks.

The NSE Nifty50 fell by 15.95 points, or 0.15 per cent, to close at 10,410.90 points, while the Sensex closed at 33,835.74 points -- down 21.04 points, or 0.06 per cent.