Mumbai, Oct 17 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets was down 33 points in afternoon trade Wednesday following heavy selling in metals and oil and gas stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 18,667.72 points, was ruling at 18,544.59 points, down 33.11 points or 0.18 percent from its previous day's close at 18,577.70 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 18,705.19 points and a low of 18,535.37 points in intra-day trade.

The BSE midcap index was down 23.82 points, while the smallcap index was up 2.25 points.

On the sectoral front, the BSE metals index was down 55.23 points, followed by the oil and gas index, down 51.69 points, and bank index, down 36.66 points.

The Sensex rose over 100 points in early trade on positive cues from Wall Street, US.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also down 5.30 points or 0.09 percent, ruling at 5,642.70 points.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei was up 1.21 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng was trading at 0.99 percent lower. However, Shanghai's composite index was up 0.32 percent.