Sensex trades flat; IT, bank stocks down

Mumbai : A benchmark index for Indian equities markets was Thursday trading 134 points lower, following selling pressure in information technology (IT), bank and capital goods stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,475.09 points, was ruling at 19,256.99 points around 1.20 p.m., down 134.87 points or 0.70 percent from its previous close at 19,391.86 points.

The index touched a high of 19,491.60 points and low of 19,186.24 points intra-day. The BSE midcap index was down 2.72 points. However, the smallcap index was higher by 28.50 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was down 2.70 points or 0.05 percent at 5,873.65 points.

The BSE IT index was down 123.10 points, while the bank index was lower by 97.09 points, followed by capital goods index, down 95.60 points, the media, entertainment and communication (TECk) index, was down 59.88 points and healthcare was down 42.10 points.

However, the consumer durables index was higher by 33.12 points, automobile index was up 10.26 points and realty index increased by 4.24 points.

Among other Asian markets, Japan’s Nikkei was up 0.81 percent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was lower by 0.14 percent. China’s Shanghai Composite Index was down 0.13 percent.