Sensex trades flat; automobile, metals stocks down

Mumbai, Dec 4 (IANS) A benchmark index for Indian equities markets Tuesday was trading flat, following a selling pressure in automobile, metals and capital goods stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,277.58 points, was ruling at 19,291.54 points around 1.50 p.m., down 13.78 points or 0.07 percent from its previous close at 19,305.32 points.

The index touched a high of 19,359.49 points and low of 19,263.71 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 automobile index was down 58.73 points, while the metals index was lower by 55.86 points, followed by capital goods index down 41.86 points.

However, the oil and gas index was higher by 98.22 points, bank index was up 31.26 points and healthcare index increased by 15.74 points.

Among other Asian markets, Japan’s Nikkei was down 0.27 percent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was higher by 0.15 percent. China’s Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.78 percent.

IANS 2012-12-04 14:16:05