Mumbai, Apr 1 (IANS): A benchmark index for Indian equities markets was trading flat in late afternoon trade Monday owing to uncertainty over the US purchasing managers index (PMI) for March. Trade was also slow as many major markets were closed for Easter Monday.

Stocks like metal, automobile and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) were hit. However, capital goods, health care and realty scrips gained.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened in positive at 18,890.81 points, was trading at 18,821.18 points in the late afternoon session, down 0.08 percent or 14.56 points from its previous day's close at 18,835.77 points.

The Sensex slumped to a low of 18,796.60 points in intra-day trade and touched a high of 18,959.48 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was trading 0.02 percent or 1.20 points up at 5,683.75 points in the afternoon session.

The BSE metal index was down 142.66 points, followed by automobile index, lower by 92.23 points, and the FMCG index, which slumped by 7.07 points.

The capital goods index was up 138.58 points, healthcare index rose by 80.16 points and the realty index was up 48.56 points.