Markets close marginally down

Mumbai: Indian equities markets closed marginally down after the government's excise duty cut announcement prompted a late surge Tuesday. A key index closed 0.16 per cent below its previous close.

The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Sensitive Index (Sensex), which opened at 8,707.35 points, was at 8,828.72 points (provisional), a decrease of 14.49 points or 0.16 per cent from its last close.

The S&P CNX Nifty index of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) ended at 2,731.10 points, 0.2 per cent down from its last close of 2,736.45 points.

The BSE midcap index was 1.92 per cent lower, while the BSE smallcap index was down 1.41 percent.