Mumbai: Equities opened distinctly weak, extending overnight losses on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on March 12 following nervous selling by operators ahead of a court ruling on the contentious Ayodhya issue.

The BSE-30 share sensitive index resumed barely steady at 3,603.16 and gradually moved downwards to a low of 3,573.86 before being quoted at 3,584.48 at 10.45 am (IST) as against the March 11 close of 3,603.97.

Dealers attributed the weakness in share values to mounting tensions in Ayodhya as operators preferred to book profits and were wary of taking fresh positions ahead of the Supreme Court's verdict on March 13.

Majority of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) counters continued to reel under selling pressure from local funds. Software shares ruled mixed on alternate bouts of buying and selling, they added.

PTI