MUMBAI: 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 pct.

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 pct.

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 pct 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 pct.

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

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

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

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