MUMBAI - Indian equities markets were trading on a dull note about an hour before the closing bell Monday with a key index ruling 1.3 percent lower than its previous close.

Around 2.28 p.m., the sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened higher at 17,062.01 points, was ruling at 16,911.63 points — 222.92 points or 1.3 percent lower than Friday’s close of 17,134.55 points.

The S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE), too was trading in the negative terrain at 5,014 points, down 1.37 percent.

Broader market indices were also in the red, with the BSE midcap index trading 0.93 percent lower and the BSE smallcap index moving down 1.27 percent.

The market breadth was negative, with only 834 stocks advancing against 1,875 declining, while 61 remained unchanged.

Among the gainers at this time on the Sensex were Reliance Infra, up 2.5 percent at Rs.1,235.85; ITC, up 2.32 percent at Rs.237.90; M&M, up 1.6 percent at Rs.905.50; and HDFC, up 1.52 percent at Rs.2,740.05.

Among losers were Bharti Airtel, down 8.18 percent at Rs.399.75; Grasim Industries, down 6.27 percent at Rs.2,531.50; Reliance Communications, down 5.03 percent at Rs.302; and Hindalco, down 4.34 percent at Rs.121.20.

Asian markets were mixed.

The Nikkei, a key index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, closed 57.38 points or 0.59 percent lower at 9,674.49 points.

The Kospi, benchmark index of the Korean Stock Exchange, similarly ended in the negative terrain, moving down 37.73 points or 2.29 percent at 1,606.90 points.

On the other hand, the primary index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Hang Seng, closed 53.58 points or 0.26 percent up at 20,429.07 points.

At the Shanghai Stock Exchange, the benchmark SSE Composite also shut shop higher — 0.9 percent up at 2,779.43 points.