Key stock market indices inched lower on Tuesday, as heavyweight financial stocks slipped after a sharp jump in the previous session, while fresh inflation worries due to rising global crude prices also weighed on sentiment.
The NSE Nifty 50 index was down 0.1 per cent at 18,041, and the S&P BSE Sensex fell 0.13 per cent to 60,533 in the opening session.
The Nifty bank index fell 0.7 per cent, while the finance index dropped 0.84 per cent. Both the indexes had gained more than 4 per cent on Monday.
Brent crude prices jumped on persistent supply worries globally, lifting Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) up 1.7 per cent.
Power Grid and NTPC Ltd gained 1 per cent each on rising power demand due to hotter weather.