Mumbai, Feb 20 (IANS): Indian equities markets opened on a flat note with a negative bias during the early morning trade session on Monday, as selling pressure was witnessed in automobile, metal and healthcare stocks.

The wider 51-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) inched down by 5.45 points or 0.06 per cent to 8,816.25 points.

The barometer 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 28,481.91 points, traded at 28,451.13 points (at 9.22 a.m.) -- down 17.62 points or 0.06 per cent from the previous close at 28,468.75 points.

The Sensex has so far touched a high of 28,490.61 points and a low of 28,428.51 points during the intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was tilted in favour of the bulls -- with 871 advances and 433 declines.

The benchmark indices on Friday surged to new five-month closing highs on the back of fresh buying.

The NSE Nifty edged up by 43.70 points or 0.50 per cent to close at 8,821.70 points, and the BSE Sensex was up 167.48 points or 0.59 per cent at 28,468.75 points.