Mumbai, Dec 27 (IANS): The key Indian equity indices on Wednesday slipped into the red during the last hour of trade with all sectors closing with losses barring the healthcare stocks.

The wider Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) fell by 40.75 points or 0.39 per cent to provisionally close (at 3.30 p.m.) at 10,490.75 points.

The NSE Nifty50 scaled a fresh intra-day high of 10,552.40 points.

The barometer 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) fell to close below the 34,000-level at 33,911.81 points -- down 98.80 points or 0.29 per cent -- from its previous close.

The Sensex touched a fresh high of 34,137.97 points on an intra-day basis.

The BSE market breadth turned bearish as 1,531 stocks declined as compared to 1,214 advances.

On Tuesday, the Sensex closed at 34,010.61 points after scaling a high of 34,061.88 points intra-day.

The Nifty50 closed higher by 38.50 points or 0.37 per cent at a fresh level of 10,531.50 points after it touched a high of 10,545.45 points intra-day.