Mumbai, March 21 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets ended Friday's trade flat - up 14 points, as oil and gas and healthcare stocks fell.

The 30-scrip S&P Sensex of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 21,823.52 points, (provisionally) closed at 21,740.09 points, up 13.66 points or 0.06 percent from its previous day's close at 21,740.09 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 21,870.11 points and a low of 21,729.90 points intra-day.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) closed trade 10.10 points (provisionally) or 0.16 percent up at 6,493.20 points.

Heavy selling pressure was observed in oil and gas, and healthcare stocks, while healthy buying took place in metal, bank and automobile scrips.

In Friday's trade, the S&P BSE oil and gas index was down 176.55 points followed by healthcare index which lost 25.18 points.

However, S&P BSE metal index was up by 168.22 points, bank index was gained by 92.43 points and automobile index increased by 73.88 points.