Indian shares began the week on a feeble note, weighed by financial shares, with markets focusing on earnings from Tata Consultancy Services later in the day that will kick-off the March-quarter corporate results season.
The NSE Nifty 50 index was down 0.3% at 17,733, as of 0346 GMT, while the S&P BSE Sensex fell 0.4% to 59,205.83.
Shares of IT behemoth Tata Consultancy Services were marginally up ahead of their earnings announcement. Investors will eye for improvement in margins and the impact of surging inflation from the month-long earnings season beginning Monday.
The Nifty Bank index and the finance index were down 0.6% each.
In broader Asian markets, stocks slipped ahead of a week packed with central bank meetings and U.S. inflation data.
Indian markets will be closed on Thursday and Friday for public holidays.
