Global cues, banks drag equity indices lower, Nifty50 goes sub-10k (Second Lead)

Mumbai Aug 8 (IANS) Broadly negative global cues coupled with heavy selling pressure in banking oil and gas and healthcare stocks dragged the key Indian equity indices -- the BSE Sensex and the NSE Nifty50 -- lower to provisionally close on a subdued note on Tuesday.

The NSE Nifty50 which closed above the psychologically important 10 000-point mark for the first time on July 26 slipped to below that level by the day s close as investors booked profits.

On July 25 the Nifty climbed the 10 000-point mark for the first time in its almost 22-year history.

At 3.30 p.m. the wider Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) provisionally closed at 9 978.55 points -- down 78.85 points or 0.78 per cent -- from its previous session s close.

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE which opened at 32 341.05 points closed at 32 014.19 points -- down 259.48 points or 0.80 per cent -- from its previous close at 32 273.67 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 32 354.77 points and a low of 31 915.20 points during the intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was skewed in favour of bears -- with 1 985 declines and 600 advances.

On Monday the benchmark indices traded rangebound and closed on a flat-to-negative note.

The Nifty50 fell by 9 points or 0.09 per cent at close at 10 057.40 points while the Sensex closed at 32 273.67 points -- down 51.74 points or 0.16 per cent.

--IANS
ppg/vt