Sensex closes flat; metal stocks fall

Mumbai, May 28 (IANS) A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Wednesday closed flat -- only 6.58 points or 0.03 percent up -- a day after the markets plunged 167 points on profit bookings.

Heavy selling pressure was observed in metal, automobile, oil and gas and consumer durables.

However, healthy buying took place in information technology (IT), bank, technology, entertainment and media (TECK) and capital goods.

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 24,591.61 points, ended the day's trade at 24,556.09 points (provisional), up 6.58 points or 0.03 percent from the previous day's close at 24,549.51 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 24,643.33 points and a low of 24,488.81 points in trade.

The S&P BSE metal index plunged by 203.41 points, automobile index went down by 109.48 points, oil and gas index fell by 98.31 points, and consumer durables index slipped by 79.60 points.

However, IT index was up 130.65 points, bank index was 97.27 points higher, TECK gained 69.23 points and capital goods rose 66.40 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) too closed flat. It ended trade 11.65 points or 0.16 percent up at 7,329.65 points.