Mumbai, March 22 (IANS) A benchmark index for Indian equities Monday closed a percent lower as selling pressure spread through the breadth of the markets.

The markets had begun the day with a negative bias after the Reserve Bank of India Friday hiked key policy rates by 25 basis points. Interest sensitive sectors such as realty and auto suffered the most.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,481.96 points, shut shop at 17,393.11 points, 185.12 points or 1.05 percent lower than its previous close at 17,578.23 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty ended at 5,200.05 points against the previous close at 5,262.8 points, a loss of 1.19 percent or 62.75 points.

Broader markets indices also closed in the red, with the BSE midcap index ending 1.17 percent lower and the BSE smallcap index closing 0.88 percent down.