Mumbai, Jan. 23 -- The key equity barometers traded with modest cuts in mid-afternoon trade, as sentiment remained cautious with investors tracking global cues and awaiting further clarity on domestic triggers, keeping market moves range-bound. The Nifty traded below the 25,100 level. Media shares declined after advancing in the past trading session.

At 14:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, dropped 706.09 points or 0.86% to 81,601.28. The Nifty 50 index fell 218.10 points or 0.86% to 25,073.15.

The broader market underperformed the frontline indices. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index declined 1.33% and the S&P BSE Small-Cap index fell 1.89%.

The market breadth was weak. On the BSE, 1,254 shares rose and 2,871 shares fell. A total...