Sensex trades flat, consumer durables scrips up

A benchmark index of Indian equities markets was trading flat Tuesday even as consumer durables, information technology (IT) and metal scrips gained.

Healthy buying was observed in consumer durables, IT, metal, technology, entertainment and media (TECK) and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector.

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 24,555.31 points was trading at 24,386.07 points around 12 p.m. session, up 23.02 points or 0.09 percent from the previous day's close at 24,363.05 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 24,587.16 points and a low of 24,299.53 points in trade.

The S&P BSE consumer durables index gained 190.42 points, IT index surged by 138.57 points, metal index moved up by 135.83 points, TECK index got augmented by 80.07 points and FMCG index inched up by 29.83 points.

However, the oil and gas index slipped by 287.85 points, bank index was down 86.57 points, automobile index fell 32.10 points and capital goods index declined 23.65 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) fell by 0.25 points and was trading at 7,263.30 points.