Mumbai/IBNS, Aug. 13 -- Indian equity markets opened lower on Thursday, with the BSE Sensex falling around 170 points, while the NSE Nifty 50 traded near the 24,350 mark amid cautious investor sentiment.

The decline comes after the Nifty 50 closed at 24,435.95 on Wednesday, down 35.75 points, or 0.15 per cent.

Sectoral indices came under pressure in early trade, with Nifty Cement emerging as the biggest loser, declining around 1 per cent. Nifty Pharma also traded lower, according to NDTV Profit.

Investors remained cautious amid volatility surrounding the expiry of futures and options contracts.

Tata Group stocks remained under pressure, adding to the weakness in the domestic market. Investor sentiment was also influenced by developmen...