Mumbai, Feb 15 (IANS) A day after galloping over 470 points, a benchmark index for Indian equities markets Tuesday pared its morning losses to rule almost flat around noon. Broader markets too seemed to take a breather after the previous session's rally.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 18,260.08 points, rose to 18,210.87 points, up 8.67 points or 0.05 percent from its previous close at 18,202.2 points.

It had slipped to 18,050.48 points in the morning,

The 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was ruling 0.04 percent up at 5,458.25 points.

Broader markets were also dull, with the BSE midcap index trading 0.12 percent lower and the BSE smallcap index ruling 0.2 percent up.

Selling was seen in capital goods, IT and healthcare stocks, while banking and energy scrips generated some buying interest.

The market breadth was mixed, with 1,232 stocks advancing compared to 1,296 scrips on the decline. A total of 99 stocks remained unchanged.

Among gainers on the 30-scrip Sensex were ICICI Bank, Tata Power, SBI and Reliance Communications, while the losers included Jaiprakash Associates, BHEL, TCS and M&M.

Other Asian markets were a mixed bag, with traders on the lookout for fresh signals on the global economic recovery front, having rallied Monday on the news that fresh economic data coming from China showed inflation lower than expected.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng was ruling 0.45 percent down at 23,016.47 points, while a benchmark of Chinese markets, Shanghai Composite index, rose 0.82 percent at 2,922.89 points.

The Japanese Nikkei nudged up 0.2 percent at 10,746.67 points.