Mumbai, Sep 26 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Wednesday closed 78 points down amid weak global cues. Metal and PSU stocks were the worst performers.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 18,644.54 points, closed 18,616.70 points (provisional), 77.71 points or 0.42 percent down from its previous day's close at 18,694.41 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 18,670.48 points and a low of 18,573.18 points in intra-day trade. The BSE midcap index was up 13.23 points while the smallcap index was 40.20 points high.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange closed 0.29 percent down at 5,657.60 points.

On the sectoral front, the BSE metal index was down 149.77 points while PSU index was down 47.23 points.

Major Sensex gainers were Cipla, up 2.37 percent at Rs.371.55; Hero MotoCorp, 1.61 percent at Rs.1,923.95; SBI, up 1.22 percent at Rs.2,224; ITC, 0.98 percent at Rs.263.05; Gail India, up 0.53 percent at Rs.385.50.

The Sensex losers were Bharti Airtel, down 4 percent at Rs.265; Coal India, down 3.05 percent at Rs.357.25; Hindalco Inds, down 2.35 percent at Rs.116.50; Tata Motors, down 2.32 percent at Rs.262.30; and Tata Steel, down 1.54 percent at Rs.394.50.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 2.03 percent down while Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed 0.83 percent lower. Shanghai's composite index also closed 1.24 percent down.

European markets were trading lower. France's CAC was down 2.05 percent and so was Germany's DAX, down 1.54 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 was trading 1.09 percent lower.