Mumbai, Feb 23 (IANS): Indian markets continued to be under selling pressure a little before noon Thursday with a benchmark index ruling quiet and broader markets seeing wide-spread profit booking.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 18,127.35 points, was ruling at 18,111.25 points, 34 points or 0.19 percent down from its previous close at 18,145.25 points.

The Sensex had closed 283 points lower Wednesday after traders started booking profits after weeks of rallying.

The 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was trading lower at 5,489.45 points, down 15.9 points or 0.29 percent from its previous close.

Broader markets were also in the red, with the BSE 500 index trading 0.43 percent lower. The BSE midcap index was down 0.96 percent while the BSE smallcap index shed 1.13 percent.

As per the sectoral indices on the BSE, realty, metals, consumer durables and capital goods stocks were among the biggest losers. Energy and FMCG scrips were on the rise.

Prominent losers on the 30-scrip Sensex included Sterlite Industries, DLF, ICICI Bank and L&T, while among gainers were HUL, SBI, RIL and BHEL.

The market breadth was negative with 815 stocks advancing, 1,663 on the decline and 105 unchanged.

Asian markets were ruling mixed as investors were worried over rising oil prices and the financial crisis in Europe leading to a decline in the zone's growth and that of the global economy.

The Japanese Nikkei moved up 0.4 percent to trade at 9,592.06 points, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.8 percent at 21,376.34 points.

The Chinese Shanghai Composite index also was ruling flat at 2,405.76 points.