Sensex trades nearly 100 points down; healthcare stocks slump

A benchmark index of Indian equities markets, the 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex), was trading nearly 100 points down during the mid-afternoon session on Friday. It was down 97 points or 0.34 percent.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also trading in the red. It was down 61.75 points or 0.71 percent at 8,644.95 points.

The Sensex of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 28,682.97 points, was trading at 28,568.62 points (at 1.30 p.m.), down 97.42 points or 0.34 percent from the previous day's close at 28,666.04 points.

The Sensex has touched a high of 28,696.19 points and a low of 28,515.30 points in the intra-day trade so far.

Heavy selling pressure was observed in healthcare, information technology (IT), banks, technology, entertainment and media (TECK), consumer durables and automobile sectors.

However, healthy buying was observed in the metal stocks.

The BSE S&P healthcare index receded 321.75 points, followed by IT index which declined by 216.86 points, bank index slipped by 192.79 points, TECK index decreased by 115.35 points, consumer durables index was lower by 72.82 points and automobile index fell 61.77 points.

However, the S&P BSE metal index was up 150.99 points.