Mumbai, Aug 16 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets plunged 462.58 points or 2.39 percent during pre-noon trade Friday.

All the sectors were trading in red. The sectors that saw the maximum selling pressure were consumer durables, banking index (bankex), capital goods, metal, oil and gas, public sector undertakings (PSU), fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), auto, IT and healthcare.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,297.11 points, was trading at 18,905.01 points in the pre-noon session, down 462.58 points or 2.39 percent from Wednesday's close at 19,367.59 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 19,310.95 points and a low of 18,817.25 points in the trade so far.

The S&P BSE consumer durables index tanked 510.80 points, bankex plummeted 514.53 points, capital goods index dipped 282.19 points, metal index dropped 240.60 points, oil and gas index slipped 178.99 points, PSU index slid 139.07 points, FMCG index plunged 110.99 points, auto index nosedived 156.05 points, IT index fell by 107.37 points and healthcare index went down by 114.84 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also trading 156.80 points or 2.73 percent down at 5,585.50 points.