Mumbai, May 17 (IANS): A benchmark index of the Indian equities markets was trading flat in afternoon trade Friday, two days after its biggest rally in a year.

There was heavy selling pressure in consumer durables, healthcare, oil and gas, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and metal stocks. Scrips like realty, public sector undertakings (PSU), capital goods, power and automobile rallied.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened in the red at 20,267.60 points, was trading at 20,229.97 points in afternoon session, down 17.36 points or 0.09 percent from its previous day close at 20,247.33 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 20,308.97 points and low of 20,185.27 points in the intra-day trade.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also trading flat, 0.13 percent or 7.95 points down at 6,161.95 points.

The BSE consumer durables index was down 88.27 points, healthcare index was down 48.87 points, oil and gas index was down 18.64 points, FMCG index was down 11.85 points followed by metal index down 7.88 points.

The realty index was up 34.53 points followed by PSU index up 28.17 points, capital goods index up 25.46 points, power index was trading 12.87 points higher and automobile index was up 19.32 percent.