Mumbai, Oct 15 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets was trading flat in afternoon trade after heavy selling in consumer durables, information technology and auto stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 18,690.99 points, was ruling at 18,675.80 points, fractionally up 0.62 points from its previous day's close at 18,675.18 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 18,726.38 and a low of 18,596.65 in intra-day trade.

The BSE midcap index was up 7.18 points, while smallcap index was up 41.09 points.

On the sectoral front, the BSE consumer durables index was down 43.77 points followed by the IT index, down 33.66 points, and auto index, down 28.48 points.

Among the major Sensex gainers were Hindalco Inds, up 1.53 percent at Rs.119.60; Cipla, up 1.25 percent at Rs.368.40; Jindal Steel, up 0.97 pecent at Rs.421.50; Tata Power, up 0.88 percent at Rs.103.20; and Reliance Industries, up 0.79 percent at Rs.825.40.

The main losers were Maruti Suzuki, down 2.11 percent at Rs.1,342.90; Sterlite Inds, down 1.22 percent at Rs.101.60; Infosys, down 1.00 percent at Rs.2,371.80; Coal India, down 0.89 percent at Rs.356.20; and Larsen and Toubro (L&T), down 0.84 percent at Rs.1,636.50.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also down 3.95 points or 0.07 percent, ruling at 5,680.00 points.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei was up 0.51 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng was trading at 0.01 percent higher. Shanghai's composite index was trading 0.30 percent lower.