Mumbai, July 21 -- The domestic equity indices traded with minor losses in early trade. The Nifty traded below the 24,900 level. Metal, financial services and realty shares advanced while oil & gas, IT and PSU bank shares declined.

At 09:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, fell 162.29 points or 0.19% to 81,597.01. The Nifty 50 index shed 66.50 points or 0.27% to 24,901.27.

The broader market underperformed the frontline indices. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index shed 0.24% and the S&P BSE Small-Cap index fell 0.52%.

The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 1,270 shares rose and 1,749 shares fell. A total of 176 shares were unchanged.

The NSE's India VIX, a gauge of the market's expectation of volatility over the near term, adde...