Equity indices pare day s gains to close lower (Second Lead)

Mumbai Feb 20 (IANS) Paring the day s entire gains the key Indian equity indices on Tuesday provisionally closed in the red on the back of heavy selling pressure in banking auto and capital goods stocks and a weak rupee.

The wider Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) fell by 18 points or 0.17 per cent to provisionally close at 10 360.40 points (at 3.30 p.m.).

The barometer 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE which opened at 33 913.94 points closed at 33 703.59 points -- down 71.07 points or 0.21 per cent -- from its previous session s close.

The Sensex touched a high of 33 960.95 points and a low of 33 657.89 points during the intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was bearish with 1 480 declines and 1 258 advances.

On Monday the equity indices closed in the negative territory as heavy selling pressure along with continued outflow of foreign funds and a surge in crude oil prices dampened market sentiment.

The Nifty50 shed 73.90 points or 0.71 per cent to close at 10 378.40 points while the Sensex declined by 236.10 points or 0.69 per cent to 33 774.66 points.

--IANS
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