Sensex sheds 109 points in pre-noon session

A benchmark index of Indian equities markets was trading 108.94 points or 0.56 percent down during the pre-noon trade Thursday.

All the sectors were trading in the red, led by oil and gas, public sector undertakings (PSU), metal, capital goods, banking index (bankex), consumer durables and auto sectors.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,443.29 points, was trading at 19,236.76 points in the pre-noon session, down 108.94 points or 0.56 percent from the previous day's close at 19,345.70 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 19,569.20 points and a low of 19,170.46 points in the trade so far.

The S&P BSE oil and gas index plunged by 216.67 points, PSU index dropped by 141.42 points, metal index slipped by 132.14 points, capital goods index dipped by 138.04 points, bankex plummeted by 137.34 points, auto index slid by 102.41 points and consumer durables index went down by 100.63 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was trading at 10.45 points or 0.18 percent down at 5,731.55 points.