Mumbai, May 21 (IANS): A benchmark index of the Indian equities markets was trading nearly 0.30 percent down in the pre-afternoon trade Tuesday owing to negative foreign cues and continued profit-booking.

There was healthy buying spree in IT, technology, media and entertainment (TECk) and consumer durables stocks. However, scrips like automobile, health care, capital goods and realty plummeted.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened in the positive at 20,227.17 points, was trading at 20,171.25 points in mid-afternoon session, down 52.73 points or 0.26 percent from its previous day close at 20,223.98 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 20,288.76 points and low of 20,141.32 points in the intra-day trade.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also trading flat, 0.51 percent or 31.10 points up at 6,125.80 points.

The BSE automobile index was down 172.72 points, health care index was 64.26 points lower, while capital goods index was down 50.54 points. However, IT index was up 44.32 points followed by the TECk index was higher by 17.68 points and consumer durables index was was up 17.65 percent.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei was down 0.21 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng went 0.40 percent lower. However, China's Shanghai Composite Index was trading higher by 0.15 percent.