Mumbai, Apr 6 (IANS): Ahead of the first bi-monthly monetary policy statement for 2017-18, which is expected later in the day, the key Indian equity market indices on Thursday opened lower taking a cue from global markets.

The Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE, which had closed at 29,974.24 points on Wednesday, opened lower at 29, 946.89 points.

Minutes into trading, it was quoting at 29,855.02 points, down by 119.22 points, or 0.40 per cent.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 51-scrip Nifty, which had closed at 9,265.15 points, was quoting at 9,230.40 points, down by 34.75 points or 0.38 per cent.

According to market observers, healthy inflow of foreign funds, along with positive tax collection data and global cues pulled the indices of equity markets up on Wednesday.

The S&P BSE Sensex rose to its record intra-day high of over 30,000 points while NSE Nifty too touched a new 52-week intra-day high of 9,273.90 points.

The Sensex was up by 64.02 points or 0.21 per cent at the Wednesday's closing. In the day's trade, the barometer 30-scrip sensitive index had touched a high of 30,007.48 points and a low of 29,817.69 points.

The Nifty too was up by 27.30 points or 0.30 per cent.

On Thursday, Asian indices were showing a negative trend. Japan's Nikkei 225 is trading in red, down by 1.39 per cent, Hang Seng down by 0.46 per cent while South Korea's Kospi was down by 0.52 per cent.

China's Shanghai Composite index was, however, quoting in green, up by 0.16 per cent.

Nasdaq closed in red, down by 0.38 per cent while FTSE 100 was up by 0.13 per cent at the closing on Wednesday.