The Indian equity benchmark indices opened lower on Thursday following choppy trading in global markets after US consumer prices rose to the highest levels since 1990.

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The US consumer price index surged 6.2 percent on an annual basis, with gasoline leading a broad-based increase that added to signs that inflation could stay uncomfortably high well into 2022 amid snarled global supply chains.

At 9:15 am, the Sensex opened 0.10 percent or 61 points lower at 60,291. Nifty50 index opened lower at 17,967 -- down 50 points or 0.28 percent. The broader market indices were trading lower.

Bluechips leading the gains on the Nifty50 index were Titan, Tata Motors, Tata Steel, IOC, Hindalco. Each scrip gained over 1-2 percent. Leading the losses were ONGC, Tech Mahindra, Wipro, HDFC, and Infosys.

Among sectors, metals, media, and PSU banks opened in the green whereas other major indices were in the red.

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Globally, inflation fears gripped Asian stocks after data overnight showed US consumer prices surged at the fastest pace since 1990 last month, boosting the case for faster Federal Reserve policy tightening.

Nominal US Treasury yields shot higher, with that on the benchmark 10-year note leaping by the most since February, while real yields, which take inflation into account, dipped to record lows.

Gold jumped to a five-month high and bitcoin hit a record as investors sought inflation hedges. Oil pulled back sharply from near seven-year highs after US President Joe Biden said his administration was looking for ways to reduce energy costs.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.85 percent, led by a 1.19 percent slide in Australia's benchmark. Japan's Nikkei bucked the trend by rising 0.24 percent.

Overnight though, the S&P 500 tumbled 0.82 percent, its worst day in more than a month. That marked the first back-to-back declines in a month, after the index closed at a record peak to start the week.

(With inputs from Reuters)