Sensex trades 36 points down; healthcare stocks hit

A day after it fell by 556 points, a benchmark index of the Indian equities markets, the 30-scrip BSE Sensitive Index (Sensex), was trading 36 points or 0.13 percent down during the mid-afternoon session on Tuesday.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also trading marginally in the negative territory during the mid-afternoon session. It was down by 4.55 points or 0.05 percent at 8,443.55 points.

The Sensex of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 27,860.51 points, was trading at 27,850.25 points (at 1.00 p.m.), down 35.96 points or 0.13 percent from the previous day's close at 27,886.21 points.

The Sensex had touched a high of 27,976.93 points and a low of 27,687.07 points in the intra-day trade so far.

In Tuesday's trade so far healthy buying was observed in capital goods, consumer durables and metal sectors.

However, stocks of healthcare, automobile, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), information technology (IT) and technology, entertainment and media (TECK) came under heavy selling pressure.

The BSE S&P healthcare index plunged by 356.32 points, followed by automobile index which declined by 65.67 points, FMCG index receded by 34.01 points, IT index fell by 24.21 points and TECK index was down by 11.99 points.

However, the S&P BSE capital goods index was up by 65.52 points, consumer durables index was higher by 58.52 points and metal index rose by 45.19 points.

On Monday, BSE Sensitive Index closed 556 points or nearly 2 percent down, due to below-expected quarterly results coupled with negative global cues.

The Sensex had plunged by 620 points in the intra-day trade on Monday as interest rate-sensitive stocks like capital goods, automobile and banks fell.

Fears of more retrospective tax cases impacted the sentiments of the foreign investors - which also dented the rupee's value.