Mumbai, Jan 2 (IANS): After losing nearly a quarter of their value in 2011, key indices of Indian equities markets started trading in 2012 on a negative note with benchmark Sensex ruling 68 points down Monday afternoon.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) was trading at 15,387.27 points in the afternoon, down 0.44 percent or 67.65 points from its previous close at 15,454.92 points.

The Sensex had lost 24.20 percent or 4,934.15 points in 2011.

Indian equities are in the red for the fifth straight day. The 30 scrip index had lost 516 points in the last four trading sessions.

At the National Stock Exchange, the 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty was also witnessing choppy trading with negative bias after losing almost a quarter of its value in 2011.

The Nifty was ruling 0.36 percent down at 4,607.65 points.

Broader markets and most sectoral indices were also in the red. The BSE midcap index was down 0.61 percent and the smallcap index was ruling 0.16 percent lower.

There was selling pressure in auto and realty stocks. The BSE auto stocks were down 2.10 percent and the realty index was down 1.84 percent.