Mumbai, Sep 24 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets closed 77 points down Monday due to heavy selling pressure in FMCG and oil and gas stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 18,756.31 points, closed 18,675.75 points (provisional), 77.08 points or 0.41 percent down from its previous day's close at 18,752.83 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 18,811.13 points and a low of 18,650.43 points in intra-day trade.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange closed 0.34 percent down at 5,671.65 points.

On the sectoral front, the BSE FMCG index was down 75.57 points while oil and gas index was down 122.25 points.

Major Sensex gainers were BHEL, up 6.69 percent at Rs.247.85; Jindal Steel, 4.62 percent at Rs.446.30; Mahindra and Mahindra, up 3.57 percent at Rs.837; Maruti Suzuki, up 3.37 percent at Rs.1,357; and HDFC Bank, up 1.60 percent at Rs.635.25.

Major Sensex losers were HDFC, down 2.59 percent at Rs.759; Hindustan Unilever, down 2.18 percent at Rs.518; ITC, down 2.16 percent at Rs.256; ONGC, down 1.89 percent at Rs.287.80; RIL, down 1.69 percent at Rs.835.50.