Mumbai, Sep 3 - Indian equities markets slumped for the fourth consecutive day Thursday after having given up slender gains garnered in afternoon's trade, with a key index ending 69 points lower than its previous closing figure.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 15,539.34 points, ended at 15,398.33 points, down 69.13 points or 0.45 percent.

The broader-based Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) followed the Sensex to end at 4,593.55 points, up 0.32 percent.

Broader market indices, however, ended on the gaining side, with the BSE midcap index closing 0.22 percent higher and the BSE smallcap index ending 0.71 percent up.

The market breadth was positive, with 1,402 stocks advancing, 1,350 declining and 93 remaining unchanged.

Among the gainers were Reliance Communications, up 5.31 percent at Rs.290.70; Sterlite, up 1.64 percent at Rs.645.55; Infosys, up 1.06 percent at Rs.2,188.20; and Tata Steel, up 1 percent at Rs.420.60.

The leading losers were Reliance Industries, down 2.01 percent at Rs.1,932.10; M&M, down 1.95 percent at Rs.813.40; Bharti Airtel, down 1.