MUMBAI - A key index of the Indian equities markets fell sharply Wednesday following a sell-off in realty, capital goods and metal stocks, and was more than 223 points in the red a little before noon.

At 11.40 a.m., the 30-scrip benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the Sensex, which opened higher at 14,953.44 points, was at 14,851.69 points — 223.35 points or 1.48 percent lower than Tuesday’s close.

At around the same time, the S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE), too, was trading in the red at 4,404.95 points, down 1.49 percent.

Broader market indices also came under selling pressure, with the BSE midcap index trading 0.86 percent lower and the BSE smallcap index moving down 0.81 percent.

On the BSE, realty, metal and capital goods stocks came under selling pressure, while healthcare stocks found favour among buyers.

The market breadth was tilted towards the negative, with 665 stocks rising, compared to 1,470 declining on the BSE and 66 remaining unchanged.

There were only three gainers on the 30-stock Sensex at this time: Bharti Airtel, up 3.29 percent at Rs.395.10; Sun Pharma, up 2.51 percent at Rs.1,2365, and ITC, up 0.47 percent at Rs.226.50.

Among losers on the Sensex were Tata Steel, down 4.61 percent at Rs.441.80; TCS, down 3.4 percent at Rs.523.30; Sterlite, down 3.23 percent at Rs.614.50, and L&T, down 2.89 percent at Rs.1,402.75.

In other Asian markets, the Nikkei 225 Stock Average, a key index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange closed 150.46 points in the red at 10,435 points, a loss of 1.42 percent compared to its previous close.

The Hang Seng, the primary index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, too, was ruling in the negative terrain at 20,666.51 points, down 407.7 points or 1.93