Mumbai, Dec. 30 -- The key equity barometers ended marginally lower today amid persistent foreign institutional investor (FII) selling and muted trading activity due to the absence of fresh domestic triggers and ahead of the year-end holiday period, while investors stayed cautious ahead of the corporate earnings season. The Nifty settled below the 25,950 mark after touching day's high of 26,976.75 in early trade. Volatility marked the session amid Nifty monthly derivatives expiry.

Metal, PSU Bank and auto shares gained while realty, consumer durables and IT shares declined.

As per provisional closing data, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex declined 20.46 points or 0.02% to 84,675.08. The Nifty 50 index lost 3.25 points or 0.01% to...