Mumbai, Sep 2 - Late selling Wednesday pulled down a key index of the Indian equities markets, forcing it to close 81 points lower than its previous close, after dull trading through the day.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 15,482.05 points, ended at 15,469.36 points (provisional), down 81.83 points or 0.53 percent.

The broader-based Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) followed the Sensex to end at 4,608 points, down 0.38 percent.

Broader market indices also ended up on the losing side, with the BSE midcap index closing 0.62 percent lower and the BSE smallcap index ending 0.21 percent down.