Mumbai, Jan 19 (Inditop.com) A benchmark index of Indian equities shut shop 176 points lower Tuesday, with selling pressure dragging down heavyweights Reliance Industries and Infosys.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,650.82 points, closed at 17,464.56 points (provisional), down 176.52 points or 1 percent from its previous close at 17,641.08 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty ended at 5,223.8 points, against the previous close at 5,274.85 points, a loss of 0.97 percent.

Selling pressure hit broader markets as well with the BSE midcap index ending 0.66 percent lower and the BSE small cap index 0.53 percent down.

The market breadth was negative with 1,816 stocks declining compared to 1,129 advancing while 49 stocks remained unchanged.