MUMBAI - A key Indian equities index took a sharp dive in the last minutes of trade and ended Wednesday 0.9 percent down.

The 30-scrip benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange, Sensex, which opened at 17,069.42 points, shut shop at 16,806.66 points, down 151.88 points or 0.9 percent from Tuesday’s closing figure of 16,958.54 points.

The S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) too ended in the negative terrain at 4,985.75 points, down 0.83 percent.

Broader market indices, however, gained, with the BSE midcap index moving up 1.41 percent and the BSE smallcap index closing 0.46 percent up.

Consumer durables, metals and pharma stocks found favour among buyers, while IT, telecom and energy scrips came under some selling pressure.

The market breadth was positive with 1,420 stocks advancing, 1,331 declining and 92 remaining unchanged.

Among the gainers on the Sensex were Sterlite, up 5.53 percent at Rs.815.90; Jaiprakash Associates, up 2.34 percent at Rs.236.05; Hindalco, up 1.56 percent at Rs.127.25; and BHEL, up 1.54 percent at Rs.2,454.35.

Among the losers were Wipro, down 4.28 percent at Rs.573.10; Maruti Suzuki, down 3.86 percent at Rs.1,536.55; TCS, down 3.31 percent at Rs.592.95; and SBI, down 2.66 percent at Rs.2,101.35.

Other important Asian markets shut shop on an upbeat note.

The Nikkei, a key index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, closed 107.8 points or 1.11 percent higher at 9,799.6 points.

The primary index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Hang Seng, ended 430.06 points or 2.07 percent at 21,241.59 points.

However, the Kospi, benchmark index of the Korean Stock Exchange, ended flat at 1,598 points, down a marginal 0.03 percent.

European markets were ruling flat.

In Britain, the FTSE 100 index was ruling 0.36 percent lower at 5,119.24 points, while its French peer, the CAC 40, was down 0.13 percent at 3,765.39 points.

Germany’s DAX was ruling at 5,649.34 points, down 0.15 percent.