Mumbai, Feb 4 (IANS): A benchmark index for Indian equities markets was trading flat in late afternoon trade Monday as healthcare, public sector undertakings (PSU) and metal stocks plummeted.

The 30-scrip Sensex, which opened at 19,860.97 points, was ruling at 19,854.87 points, up 73.68 points or 0.37 percent around 1 p.m. from its previous close at 19,781.19 points.

The Sensex touched an intra-day high of 19,902.60 points and a low of 19,842.99 points. The midcap index was down 11.78 points, while the smallcap index was marginally higher by 2.89 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was trading lower by 8.70 points or 0.15 percent at 6,007.60 points.

There was heavy buying in the interest rate-sensitive healthcare, PSU, metal stocks.

Automobile, bank and realty stocks rallied.

Major indices like the healthcare index was down 67.45 points followed by the PSU index, which was lower by 54.78 points. Metal was down 14.51 points.

The automobile index was up 92.52 points. And so was the bank index, which was higher by 33.12 points. The realty index was up 22.32 points.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei was up 0.62 percent while Hong Kong's Hang Seng was higher by 0.11 percent. China's Shanghai Composite Index was trading up by 0.38 percent.