Global cues, banks drag equity indices lower, Nifty goes sub-10k

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 Nifty lower to provisionally close on a subdued note on Tuesday.

The NSE Nifty , 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 Nifty 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 Nifty 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.