Mumbai, Apr 8 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets closed flat Monday. There was heavy selling in bank, capital goods, information technology (IT) and metal stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 18,455.80 points, closed at 18,437.78 points, down 12.45 points or 0.07 percent from its previous day's close at 18,450.23 points.

The Sensex slumped to a low of 18,402.93 points intra-day after touching a high of 18,504.48 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) closed the day 0.19 percent or 10.30 points down at 5,542.95 points.

The BSE bank index was down 100.44 points, followed by capital goods index, down 77.79 points; information technology (IT) index, down 65.97 points; metal index, down 51.81 points; and technology, media and entertainment (TECk), down 13.77 points.

However, the consumer durables index was up 81.86 points, while the health care index gained 58.18 points; the oil and gas index went up 46.50 points; fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) index was up 43.52 points and automobile index was 33.92 points higher.

Of the 30 Sensex scrips, 17 closed in the positive. Prominent among these were Bharti Airtel, up 3.90 percent at Rs.281.20; BHEL, up 2.62 percent at Rs.182.35; Cipla, up 2.19 percent at Rs.394.75; Hindustan Unilever, up 1.51 percent at Rs.478.20; and Dr Reddys Lab, up 1.44 percent up Rs.1,937.80.

Among the 13 losers were Sterlite Inds, down 1.85 percent at Rs.87.60; L&T, down 1.78 percent at Rs.1,324.80; HDFC, down 1.62 percent at Rs.758.05; Wipro, down 1.39 percent at Rs.448.45; and Jindal Steel, down 1.30 percent at Rs.330.35.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 2.80 percent higher while Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended the day 0.04 percent down. China's Shanghai Composite Index too closed 0.62 percent lower.

In Europe, Britain's FTSE 100 was trading up 0.37 percent, and the German DAX was trading 0.32 percent higher. The French CAC 40 was higher by 0.72 percent.