Mumbai, July 14 (IANS) A benchmark index for Indian equities Wednesday

closed 78 lower as selling pressure built up in the last session of trade.

The Sensex, which opened at 18,024.95 points, closed at 17,907.17 points (provisional), 78.73 points or 0.44 percent down from its previous close at 17,985.9 points.

The Sensex had hit an intra-day high of 18,167.22 points in the morning session.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty followed a similar trajectory to shut shop at 5,378 points, down 0.42 percent from its previous close at 5,400.65 points.

Broader markets indices also ended in the red, with the BSE midcap index 0.52 percent up and the BSE smallcap index 0.33 percent lower.