Mumbai, Jan. 12 -- The headline equity benchmarks traded with modest losses in the morning trade, pressured by escalating geopolitical tensions and renewed concerns over potential U.S. tariff hikes. Investor sentiment remained cautious as the Q3 earnings season kicked off, with market participants closely tracking corporate performance and outlook amid global uncertainties.

The Nifty traded below the 25,600 level, while media shares extended losses for a third consecutive trading session.

At 10:28 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, declined 352.53 points or 0.43% to 83,216.75. The Nifty 50 index added 94.40 points or 0.37% to 25,589.35.

The broader market underperformed the frontline indices. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index fell 0...