Indian equities pares losses, close flat (Second Lead)

Mumbai March 21 (IANS) Indian equity markets provisionally closed on a flat-to-negative note on Tuesday with heavy selling pressure witnessed in healthcare banking and automobile stocks.

A strong rupee and broadly positive global cues aided the key indices to pare some losses and close the day on a flat note.

The wider 51-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was a tad lower by 5.35 points or 0.06 per cent at 9 121.50 points.

The barometer 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE which opened at 29 525.88 points provisionally closed at 29 485.45 points (at 3.30 p.m.) -- down 33.29 points or 0.11 per cent from the previous close at 29 518.74 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 29 585.05 points and a low of 29380.14 points during the intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was tilted in favour of the bears -- with 1 689 declines and 1 096 advances.

On Monday the benchmark indices closed lower on the back of broadly negative global cues and sector-specific selling pressure.

--IANS
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