Sensex trades marginally down, FMCG stocks slip

A day after it gained around 200 points, a benchmark index of Indian equities markets, the 30-scrip BSE Sensitive Index (Sensex), was trading marginally lower in the mid-afternoon session on Thursday. It was down by five points or 0.02 percent.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was trading marginally up by 5.35 points or 0.06 percent at 8,428.60 points.

The Sensex of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 27,885.36 points, was trading at 27,832.29 points (at 1.35 p.m.) -- down 4.92 points or 0.02 percent from the previous day's close at 27,837.21 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 27,911.44 points and a low of 27,712.73 points in the intra-day trade.

According to stock-brokers Angel Broking, Indian markets opened on a flat-note tracking the SGX Nifty.

On the global front, the US indices ended marginally lower, after the US Fed meeting minutes expectedly indicated that a rate hike is unlikely in June.

"European markets extended gaining streak for the third consecutive day (on Wednesday), led by rally in telecommunication and banking shares. Indian markets edged higher (on Wednesday), led by rally in the IT stocks due to decline in rupee vis-a-vis the dollar," the stock-broking firm said.

Healthy buying was observed in automobile, capital goods and information technology (IT) sectors.

However, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), metal and oil and gas stocks came under heavy selling pressure.

The S&P BSE automobile index augmented by 124.41 points, capital goods index gained 49.24 points and IT index was higher by 47.97 points.

However, the S&P BSE FMCG index was lower by 61.83 points, metal index fell by 29.63 points and oil and gas index lost by 29.30 points.