Mumbai, April 2 -- The domestic equity benchmarks traded near the flatline with some negative cuts in the mid- afternoon trade, tracking global risk aversion after Donald Trump's hawkish stance on Iran. Brent crude surged toward $105, raising inflation concerns. Domestic markets remained cautious ahead of the weekly expiry of BSE Sensex contracts. Being the final session of a truncated week, volatility is expected to stay elevated with global cues guiding trade.

The Nifty slipped below the 22,250 mark. IT shares extended gains for second consecutive trading session.

At 14:28 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, fell 3.64 points or 0.01% to 73,132.57. The Nifty 50 index slipped 5.40 points or 0.03% to 22,674.30.

In the broader...