Mumbai, Dec 17: A benchmark index for Indian equities markets is trading 58 points down in late afternoon session Monday, a day before the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) meets to decide on the mid-quarter monetary policy review.

Good buying was seen in metals, auto and healthcare stocks, while information technology (IT), consumer durables and technology, entertainment and media (TECk) stocks declined.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,290.92 points, was ruling at 19,258.78 points, down 58.47 points or 0.30 percent from its previous close at 19,317.25 points.

The index touched a high of 19,346.78 points and low of 19,241.53 points intra-day. The BSE midcap index was up 41.23 points, while the smallcap index edged higher by 37.64 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was down 17135 points or 0.29 percent at 5,862.45 points.

The BSE metals index was up 106 points. The auto index was trading higher by 90.69 points, followed by healthcare index, up 36.70 points.

However, the IT index was down by 58.69 points, the consumer durables index was lower by 56.87 points and the TECk index decreased by 38.14 points.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei was down 0.94 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng was lower by 0.40 percent. China's Shanghai Composite Index was down 0.45 percent. (IANS)