Mumbai, Jul 9 (IANS): A benchmark index for Indian equities markets closed 148 points lower Monday due to a sell-off in metal, power and automobile stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,449.93 points, closed at 17,372.36 points(provisional), down 0.85 percent or 148.76 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange closed 0.84 percent lower at 5,272.45 points.

The BSE metal index was down 190.27 points, while the power index and the automobile index were down 32.48 points and 126.03 points respectively.

Major Sensex losers were Jindal Steel, down 3.01 percent at Rs.441.45; Hero MoroCorp, down 2.64 percent at Rs.2,029.55; Tata Steel, down 2.45 percent at Rs.436.50; Bajaj Auto, down 2.37 percent at Rs.1,503; Maruti Suzuki, down 2.34 percent at Rs.1,188.20.

The only three Sensex gainers were TCS, up 1.03 percent at Rs.1,259; Dr Reddy's Lab, up 0.82 percent at Rs.1,646.60 and Hindalco Inds, up 0.08 percent at Rs.124.