Mumbai, Jul 9 (IANS): A benchmark index for Indian equities markets was trading 147 points down Monday due to a sell-off in metal, power and realty stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,449.93 points, was trading at 17,373.93 points mid-day, down 0.84 percent or 147.19 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was trading 1 percent lower at 5,263.85 points.

The BSE metal index was down 214.05 points, while the power index and the realty index were down 38.64 points and 32.37 points respectively.

Major Sensex losers were Jindal Steel, down 3.11 percent at Rs.441; Bajaj Auto, down 2.89 percent at Rs.1,495; Tata Steel, down 2.57 percent at Rs.435.95; Maruti Suzuki, down 2.42 percent at Rs.1,187.20; HDFC Bank, down 2.28 percent at Rs.570.

The only six Sensex gainers were TCS, up 1.10 percent at Rs.1,259.95; Tata Motors, up 0.42 percent at Rs.241.55; Dr Reddy's Lab, up 0.17 percent at Rs.1,636; ITC, up 0.08 percent at Rs.252.90; Hindustan Unilever, up 0.07 percent at Rs.445.50; Gail India, up 0.06 percent at Rs.357.05.

The Asian markets were down on the back of disappointing US jobs data. Japan's Nikkei was down 1.37 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down 1.72 percent. China's Shanghai Composite index fell 2.37 percent.