Indian equities were trading in the red late Thursday morning despite US and European markets ending in the green Wednesday. A key index was ruling 1.68 per cent below its last closing figure.
The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Sensitive Index (Sensex), which opened at 8,535.03 points, was at 8,304.41 points, 1.68 per cent or 142.087 points lower than its previous close.
Similarly, the S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was at 2,609.85 points, 1.34 per cent below its last close of 2,645.2.
The BSE midcap index was 0.17 per cent lower, while the BSE smallcap index was down 0.23 per cent.
Of the 13 sectoral indices on BSE, the index for realty and metal stocks gained the most.
Among the gainers on the Sensex were Sterlite, up 2.28 per cent at Rs.251; DLF, up 1.69 per cent at Rs.150.45; Tata Steel, up 1.21 per cent at Rs.158.60, and TCS, up 0.79 per cent at Rs.464.70.
The losers were Ranbaxy, down 4.93 per cent to Rs.151.20; Hindustan Unilever, down 3.59 per cent at Rs.232.25; Tat Power, down 3.17 per cent at Rs.652.90; and Jai Prakash Associates, down 3.13 per cent at Rs.63.40.
In other Asian markets, a key Japanese index, the Nikkei of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, was up 162.61 points at 7,453.57 points.
The Hang Seng, a key index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, was ruling 0.38 per cent lower than its last close.
US stocks posted strong gains Wednesday, spurred by a global rally as China prepared to unveil new plans to stimulate its economy.
The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 149.82 points, or 2.23 per cent, to 6,875.84.
The broader Standard and Poor's 500 Index jumped 16.54 points, or 2.38 per cent, to 712.87 after closing below 700 Tuesday for the first time since 1996, while the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index was up 32.73 points, or 2.48 per cent, to 1,353.74.
