Mumbai, Feb 22 (IANS): A benchmark index for Indian equities markets was trading flat in the late afternoon trade session Friday, a day after it fell more than 300 points or 1.62 percent on the back of weakness in global bourses.

There was heavy selling pressure in fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and automobile scrips.

However, oil and gas, information technology (IT) and communication, entertainment and media (TECk) stocks gained.

In Friday's 1 p.m. trade session, the 30-scrip Sensex, which opened at 19,341.90 points, was ruling at 19,355.55.59 points, up 30.19 points or 0.16 percent from its previous close at 19,325.36 points.

The Sensex touched an intra-day high of 19,366.64 points and a low of 19,289.83 points. The midcap index was up 24.18 points, while the smallcap index was higher by 15.52 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was trading lower by 5.05 points or 0.09 percent at 5,857.30 points.

The FMCG index was down 69.73 points, followed by the automobile index, lower by 43.30 points.

The BSE oil and gas index, was trading up 99.75 points, while IT index was higher by 72.17 points and TECk index was up by 56.46 points.