MUMBAI: Equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty, ended lower on Friday in a narrow-range trade, weighed down by losses in IT shares and weak cues from Asian markets.

Investors turned cautious ahead of domestic GDP data set to be released after market hours.

The 30-share BSE Sensex declined 182.01 points, or 0.22 per cent, to close at 81,451.01. It had dropped as much as 346.57 points during the day to touch 81,286.45. The broader NSE Nifty slipped 82.90 points, or 0.33 per cent, to settle at 24,750.70.

Among Sensex stocks, Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech, Asian Paints, NTPC, Infosys, Nestle, Sun Pharma and Tata Steel were the major laggards.

Gains in Eicher Motors, State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, Larsen & Toubro, Reliance Industries and Bajaj Finserv helped limit losses.

Asian markets traded lower amid trade uncertainty after a US appeals court temporarily reinstated reciprocal tariffs, dampening investor sentiment.

Meanwhile, Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, rose 0.44 per cent to $64.43 a barrel.