A benchmark index for Indian equities markets was trading lower by 83 points in afternoon session Thursday after profit booking led to selling pressure in metal, bank and auto stocks.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,511.41 points, was ruling at 19,392.81 points around 12.30 p.m., down by 83.19 points or 0.43 percent from its previous close at 19,476.00 points.
The BSE Sensex touched a high of 19,520.51 points and low of 19,335.72 points intra-day. The BSE midcap index was down 19.03 points, while the smallcap index was lower by 31.74 points.
The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was down 34.60 points or 0.58 percent at 5,895.00 points.
The BSE metal index was down 105.34 points.
The bank index was trading lower by 97.74 points, capital goods index down 96.37 points, automobile index down 85.83 points followed by public sector undertakings (PSU) index, down 47.29 points.
However, the healthcare index increased by 38.08 points.
Among other Asian markets, Japan’s Nikkei was down 1.19 percent and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was lower by 0.25 percent. China’s Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.28 percent.
—-IANS