Sensex closes in red; bank stocks fall

A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Thursday closed 36.17 points or 0.15 percent lower as bank and consumer durables stocks came under heavy selling pressure.

Healthy buying was observed in healthcare, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), information technology (IT), realty and metal sectors.

However, buying pressure was seen in bank, consumer durables and oil and gas scrips.

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 24,300.99 points, ended the day's trade at 24,197.98 points (provisional) -- down 36.17 points or 0.15 percent from the previous day's close at 24,234.15 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 24,353.59 points and a low of 24,163.62 points intra-day.

The S&P BSE healthcare index surged 259.41 points, FMCG index gained by 67.36 points, IT rose 39.19 points, realty index increased by 38.37 points and the metal index edged higher by 38.31 points.

However, bank index was down 343.48 points, followed by consumer durables index which fell 136.01 points and oil and gas index which lost 6.18 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) ended trade 10.65 points or 0.15 percent down at 7,225 points.