Mumbai, March 22 (IANS) Caution over US rate hike, coupled with profit booking and negative Chinese indices dragged the Indian equity markets lower during the early morning trade session on Tuesday.
Consequently, the barometer 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE edged-lower by 48 points or 0.19 percent.
Similarly, the wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) traded marginally in the red. It dwindled by 21 points, or 0.27 percent, at 7,683.35 points.
The Sensex, which opened at 25,331.01 points, traded at 23,236.96 points (9.30 a.m.) -- down 48.41 points or 0.19 percent from the previous day's close at 25,285.37 points.
So far during the intra-day trade, the Sensex touched a high of 23,331.01 points and a low of 25,198.14 points.
The BSE market breadth slightly favoured the bulls -- with 764 advances and 494 declines.
