Mumbai, June 8 (IANS): A benchmark index of the Indian equities markets, the 30-scrip BSE Sensitive Index (Sensex), on Monday was 184.36 points or 0.69 percent down during the afternoon trade session.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also trading 54.45 points or 0.67 percent down at 8,060.25 points.

The Sensex of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 26,814.31 points, was trading at 26,584.13 points (at 01.13 p.m.), down 184.36 points or 0.69 percent from the previous day's close at 26,768.49 points.

The Sensex has touched a high of 26,827.06 points and a low of 26,554.56 points in the trade so far.

Heavy selling was observed in like automobile, banking, consumer durables, healthcare, oil and gas and capital goods sectors.

The S&P BSE auto index plunged by 167.25 points, bankex dropped by 164.75 points, consumer durables index fell by 161.59 points, healthcare index slipped by 125.72 points, oil and gas index went down by 110.81 points and capital goods index plummeted by 81.82 points.