Mumbai, Aug 17 - Continued selling pressure at Indian equities markets Monday pushed a key index further into the red. The index was ruling 2.9 percent below its last closing figure in afternoon trade.

At 1.46 p.m., the 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 15,284.23 points, was trading at 14,968.66 points, down 442.97 points or 2.87 percent.

The Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE), too, was in the red at 4,438.6 points, down 3.09 percent.

Broader market indices were also in the negative terrain, with the BSE midcap index ruling 2.36 percent lower and the BSE smallcap index 1.49 percent down.

Other Asian markets too were in the red, while European markets opened lower than their previous close.