Sensex trades flat; healthcare stocks fall

Mumbai, March 11 : A benchmark index of Indian equities markets, the 30-scrip BSE Sensitive Index (Sensex), was trading flat in the afternoon session on Wednesday.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also trading flat in the afternoon session. It was down 4.35 points or 0.05 percent at 8,707.70 points.

The Sensex of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 28,725.75 points, was trading at 28,669.42 points (12.15 p.m.), down 40.45 points or 0.14 percent from the previous day's close at 28,709.87 points.

The Sensex had touched a high of 28,815.95 points and a low of 28,626.96 points in the trade so far.

Healthy buying was observed in information technology (IT), technology, entertainment and media (TECK) and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG). However, healthcare, metal, automobile, bank and capital goods came under selling pressure.

The S&P BSE IT index was up 49.52 points, TECK index was higher by 37.26 points and FMCG index rose 15.87 points.

However. the S&P BSE healthcare index was down 167.30 points, followed by metal index which was lower by 143.60 points, automobile index which declined by 76.54 points, bank index which decreased by 62.40 points and capital goods index which fell by 52.70 points.