Mumbai Aug 7 (IANS) Profit booking along with concerns over global protectionist measures subdued the Indian equity indices on Tuesday.
According to market observers heavy selling pressure in oil and gas banking and healthcare stocks capped the gains.
Index-wise the 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) closed the day s trade at 37 665.80 points down by 26.09 points and 0.07 per cent from its previous close.
The barometer index touched a fresh record high of 37 876.87 points and a low of 37 586.88 points during the intra-day trade.
In contrast the broader 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) closed on a flat-to-positive note at 11 389.45 points up by just 2.35 points or 0.02 per cent.
"Market was range bound after touching a new high and ended up with a marginal gain. Global cues were positive despite concerns of trade tensions " said Geojit Financial Services Head of Research Vinod Nair.
"Back home PSU banks slid on account of profit booking after two consecutive days of rally. Earnings were largely in line with market expectation while positive guidance for sectors like consumer durables pharma and select large caps will enthuse the market to have a positive momentum."
BNP Paribas Mutual Fund s Senior Fund Manager Equities Market Abhijeet Dey said: "Stock markets in India started the day on a buoyant note and scaled a record high amidst mild volatility."
"However key benchmark indices subsequently reversed initial gains to trade in the negative zone in the mid-morning trade to finally close near the flat line."
On the currency front the rupee strengthened by 11 paise to 68.68 against the US dollar from the previous close of 68.89 per greenback.
Investment-wise provisional data with exchanges showed that foreign institutional investors bought scrip worth Rs 314.83 crore while the domestic institutional investors sold stocks worth Rs 319.90 crore.
Sector-wise the S&P BSE consumer durables index rose by 267.70 points the S&P BSE metal index was up 163.47 points and the auto index ended higher by 37.49 points.
Against this the S&P BSE oil and gas index declined by 155.77 points followed by the banking index which was down 80.79 points and the healthcare index which ended lower by 62.41 points.
The major gainers on the Sensex were Tata Steel up 3.61 per cent at Rs 573.40; Asian Paints up 1.63 per cent at Rs 1 419.60; NTPC up 1.31 per cent at Rs 158.60; Vedanta up 1.25 per cent at Rs 226.80; and Maruti Suzuki up 1.18 per cent from Rs 9396.80 per share.
The major losers were Adani Ports down 6.49 per cent at Rs 371.95; Coal India down 2.63 per cent at Rs 275.40; State Bank of India down 1.47 per cent at Rs 304.00; Bharti Airtel down 1.26 per cent at Rs 381.35; and ONGC down 1.24 per cent at Rs 167.10 per share.

--IANS ravi-rv/vm