Equities trade flat on negative global cues (Second Lead)

Mumbai, March 15 (IANS)�Key Indian equity indices on Thursday traded on a flat note with marginal losses during the mid-afternoon trade session following broadly negative Asian markets, coupled with selling pressure in oil and gas, metal and energy stocks.

Around 1.40 p.m., the wider Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) fell by 13.45 points or 0.13 per cent to trade at 10,397.45 points.

The barometer 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 33,843.47 points, traded at 33,806.91 points -- down 28.83 points or 0.09 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 1,614 advances and 919 declines.

Hindustan Unilever, NTPC, Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank and Tata Steel were the top five laggards on the BSE.

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.