Mumbai, Oct 13 (IANS): After a handsome rally in the previous session, Indian equities markets ended tamely Thursday with trade largely being volatile during the day.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 17,048 points, closed at 16,883.92 points, down 74.47 points or 0.44 percent from its previous close at 16,958.39 points.

The Sensex had risen over 420 points in Wednesday's trade.

The 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange also closed lower, 0.42 percent or 21.55 points down at 5,077.85 points.

Broader markets also ended lacklustre with the BSE 500 index closing 0.32 percent down. The BSE midcap and smallcap index ended flat.

The market breadth at the BSE was negative with 1,403 stocks declining, compared to 1,379 on the rise and 126 remaining unchanged.

Prominent Sensex gainers included: ICICI Bank, up 2.22 percent at Rs.879; Tata Steel, up 1.63 percent at Rs.451.20; TCS, up 1.06 percent at Rs.1,090.80; and DLF, up 0.89 percent at Rs.238.70.

Major losers were: Jindal Steel, down 3.45 percent at Rs.500.10; Tata Motors, down 3.09 percent at Rs.175.75; Maruti Suzuki, down 2.71 percent at Rs.1,056.40 and Coal India, down 2.08 percent at Rs.331.95.

Asian markets ended higher on overnight news that a major hurdle had been cleared in the expansion of the European Financial Stability Facility. Slovakia's parliament Wednesday cleared the way for the country to endorse bolstering of the stability fund.

The Japanese Nikkei closed 0.97 percent up at 8,823.52 points, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 2.34 percent higher at 18,757.81 points.

The Chinese Shanghai composite index closed 0.78 percent up at 2,438.79 points.

European bourses were trading lower amid some lacklustre results from leading corporates.

Around mid-day, Britain's FTSE was down 0.74 percent at 5,401.49 points, and the German DAX was ruling 1.17 percent down at 5,924.45 points.

The French CAC 40 was ruling 0.81 percent lower at 3,203.49 points.