Mumbai, Dec 4 (IANS) A key Indian equities index slipped into the red Friday afternoon after staying positive through the morning session.
At 1.41 p.m., the sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) that opened at 17,182.23 points was at 17,136.28 points, down 49.4 points or 0.28 percent from Thursday’s closing at 17,185.68 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was at 5,115.85 points, against the previous close at 5,131.7 points, a loss of 15.85 points or 0.31 percent.

Broader market indices were mixed with the BSE midcap index down 0.19 percent but the BSE small cap index ruling 0.38 percent higher.

The market breadth was tilted towards the positive, with 1,366 stocks advancing, 1,307 scrips declining and 87 remaining unchanged.

Most other Asian markets were ruling in green.

A key Japanese index, the Nikkei, closed 0.45 percent or 44.92 points, up at 10,022.59 points.

The Kospi, the benchmark index of the Korean Stock Exchange, was ruling at 1,624.76 points, up 0.6 percent.

In China, the Shanghai composite index was ruling 1.61 percent in the green at 3,317.04 points.

However, the Hang Seng, a benchmark index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange was in the negative at 22,497.63 points, 0.25 percent or 56.24 points down.