Mumbai, May 12 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets, the 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex), on Tuesday plunged by 539 points or nearly 2 percent during the post-afternoon trade session.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also trading in the red. It was down 172 points or 2.07 percent in the post-afternoon session at 8,153.25 points.

The Sensex of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 27,502.91 points, was trading at 26,968.63 points (at 12.25 p.m.) in the post-afternoon session, down 538.67 points or 1.96 percent from the previous day's close at 27,507.30 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 27,502.91 points and a low of 26,927.82 points in the intra-day trade so far.

In Tuesday's trade so far all 12 sector-based indices were trading in the red. The S&P BSE banking, capital goods, automobile, metal, oil and gas, information technology (IT) and healthcare indices came under heavy selling pressure.

The S&P BSE Bank index plunged by 542.76 points, followed by capital goods index which declined by 379.10 points, automobile index decreased by 293.73 points, metal index was lower by 261.55 points and oil and gas index fell by 237.14 points.

The S&P BSE IT index edged lower by 172.29 points and healthcare index was down by 169.59 points.