Mumbai, Feb. 24 -- The headline equity benchmarks traded with major losses in mid-afternoon trade, primarily driven by mixed global sentiment and a weak handover from the US markets. Concerns over Donald Trump's tariff policies and their potential impact on the US economy, along with reports of a new bat coronavirus strain in China and renewed tensions between Russia and Ukraine, weighed heavily on investor sentiment. The Nifty dropped below the 22,550 level.

Oil & Gas shares witnessed selling pressure for the third consecutive trading session.

At 14:28 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, tumbled 884.16 points or 1.17% to 74,425.20. The Nifty 50 index dropped 257.30 points or 1.13% to 22,538.60.

In the broader market, the S&P...