Sensex trades in red; metal stocks down

A benchmark index of Indian equities markets was trading in the negative territory in the late afternoon trade session Tuesday - marginally down 1.27 points or 0.01 percent as metal and automobile stocks declined.

However, healthy buying was observed in oil and gas, information technology (IT) and capital goods stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 25,189.46 points, was trading at 25,189.21 points around 1.15 p.m. trade session, down 1.27 points or 0.01 percent from previous day's close at 25,190.48 point.

The Sensex touched a high of 25,251.79 points and a low of 25,104.50 points during the trade so far.

The S&P BSE metal index was down 63.57 points, automobile index moved lower by 50.92 points and bank index lost 22.66 points.

However, oil and gas index gained 87.01 points, followed by IT index which was up 69.97 points and capital goods index was higher by 47.67 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also trading in the negative territory. It was down 1.95 points or 0.03 percent at 7,531.60 points.