A benchmark index of Indian equities markets was trading 154.94  points or 0.63 percent down Thursday as IT and technology, media and entertainment (TECK) stocks slumped.
 
 Selling pressure was seen in IT, TECK, metal and oil and gas sectors. The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 24,523.13 points, was trading at 24,401.15 points in the pre-noon session, down 154.94 points or 0.63  percent from the previous day's close at 24,556.09 points.
 
 The Sensex touched a high of 24,528.20 points and a low of 24,357.95 points in trade. The S&P BSE IT index dropped by 248.10 points, TECK index slipped by 107.27 points, oil and gas index went down by 77.73 points and metal index slumped by 152.25 points.
 
 The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also trading 35.10 points or 0.48 percent down at 7,294.55 points.