Mumbai, Feb 19 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets, the 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex), was trading 70 points or 0.24 percent down in Thursday's afternoon session.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also trading in the red. It was down 36.90 points or 0.42 percent at 8,832.20 points.

The Sensex of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 29,434.91 points, was trading at 29,250.29 points (12.10 a.m.) in the afternoon session, down 69.97 points or 0.24 percent from the previous day's close at 29,320.26 points.

The Sensex had touched a high of 29,469.86 points and a low of 29,165.12 points in the trade so far.

Healthy buying was observed in capital goods, information technology (IT) and consumer durables stocks. However, bank, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and oil and gas scrip came under selling pressure.

The S&P BSE capital goods index surged by 113.29 points, IT index increased by 68.04 points and consumer durables index moved up by 66.51 points.

However, bank index plunged 245.91 points, FMCG index declined by 113.14 points and oil and gas index was lower by 60.13 points.