Mumbai, Jan 25 (IANS) A benchmark index of Indian equities Monday recovered from its morning low, but was still ruling 97 points lower about an hour before noon.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 16,847.7 points, was at 16,762.18 points, down 97.5 points or 0.55 percent from its previous close at 17,051.14 points.

It had slipped over 154 points about an hour after the opening bell.

Around 11 a.m., at the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was at 5,002.45 points, against the previous close at 5,036 points, a loss of 0.67 percent.

Broader markets were also hit by selling pressure, with the BSE midcap index down 0.57 percent and the BSE small cap index trading 0.14 percent lower.

Among the major gainers were Hindalco, up 2.57 percent at Rs.165.60; HUL, up 0.93 percent at Rs.260.20; ITC, up 0.88 percent at Rs.251.55; and Maruti Suzuki, up 0.7 percent at Rs.1,449.80.

Top losers included Jaiprakash Associates, down 2.21 percent at Rs.143.75; HDFC Bank, down 2.04 percent at Rs.1,6445.10; Infosys, down 1.85 percent at Rs.2,525.45; and DLF, down 1.78 percent at Rs.347.50,.

Most other Asian markets were also in the red, with the benchmark Japanese index, Nikkei, trading 0.69 percent lower at 10,517.27 points, and the Korean Kospi down 1.19 percent down at 1,664.28 points.

The Chinese Shanghai composite index too was in the negative terrain, at 3,102.03 points, 0.85 percent down, while the Hang Seng of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange was 0.89 percent lower at 20,542.42 points.