Mumbai, Jan 29 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Wednesday closed flat - down 36.21 points or 0.18 percent - a day after the Reserve Bank of India hiked a key policy rate by 0.25 percent to tame inflation.

The 30-scrip S&P Sensex of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 20,784.04 points, closed at 20,647.30 points, down 36.21 points or 0.18 percent from its previous day's close at 20,683.51 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 20,828.68 points and a low of 20,613.62 intra-day.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) closed six points or 0.10 percent down at 6,120.25 points.

Healthy buying was observed in stocks like capital goods, healthcare and information technology (IT). However, metal, bank and consumer durables stocks came under heavy selling.

The S&P BSE capital goods index grew by 86.39 points followed by healthcare index, which gained 76.26 points, and IT index, up 52.83 points. The S&P BSE metal index declined 126.67 points, bank index was down 83.44 points and consumer durables index was lower by 41.45 points.

The major gainers were: Maruti Suzuki, up 7.11 percent at Rs.1,674.35; BHEL, up 3.86 percent at Rs.170.70; Hero MotoCorp, up 2.85 percent at Rs.2,070.85; Axis Bank, up 1.58 percent at Rs.1,139.65; and Sun Pharma, up 1.34 percent at Rs.590.70.

The main losers were: Sesa Sterlite, down 3.05 percent at Rs.193.80; Tata Steel, down 2.21 percent at Rs.358; Hindalco Inds, down 1.80 percent at Rs.111.85; ICICI Bank, down 1.69 percent at Rs.1,001.95; and Bajaj Auto, down 1.62 percent at Rs.1,913.45.

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