Sensex trades flat in afternoon session; banking scrips tank

A benchmark index of Indian equities markets was trading flat at 0.32 percent or 62.58 points up during the afternoon session Wednesday.

Some positive buying was observed in consumer durables, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and IT sectors, while banking index (bankex), metal, auto and public sector undertakings (PSU) sectors took a dip.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,928.95 points, was trading at 19,913.81 points in the afternoon session, up 62.58 points or 0.32 percent from its previous day's close at 19,851.23 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 19,979.65 points and a low of 19,881.19 points in the afternoon trade.

The S&P BSE consumer durables index moved up by 85.34 points, FMCG index inched up by 89.42 points and IT index increased by 68.37 points.

The bankex, however, tanked by 176.18 points, metal index plummetted by 75.91 points, auto index went down by 41.78 points and PSU index slipped by 31.34 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also trading flat at 13 points or 0.22 percent up at 5,968.25 points.