The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange lost 169 points, or 0.9 per cent, to slip below the 17,000 level, at 16,952, in opening trade, this morning, on sustained selling by funds, amid falling regional bourses. Later, the Sensex remained subdued, and stood 130 points, or 0.8 per cent in negative territory, at 16,992 in afternoon deals, a short while ago. Key stock indices in Japan, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan were down by between 0.2 percent and 2.2 percent, as investors limited their risk exposures on concerns about growth prospects in China.