Mixed global cues, weak rupee keep equity indices flat (Roundup)
Although the indices had opened in the red they pared their losses around an hour into the trade with the BSE Sensex gaining over 100 points by the afternoon session.
By the end of the day s trade the indices ended flat with minor gains noting mixed global cues -- weak Asian markets and positive Europeran markets.
Depreciation in the Indian rupee also eroded investor sentiments during the day analysts said.
Index-wise the wider Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) closed at 10 769.15 points up 6.70 points or 0.06 per cent from the previous close of 10 762.45 points.
Similarly the barometer 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE which had opened at 35 355.72 points closed at 35 490.04 points -- up 19.69 points or 0.06 per cent -- from its previous session s close of 35 470.35 points.
The Sensex touched an intra-day high of 35 616.64 and a low of 35 338.09 points. The BSE market breadth however was bearish so far with 1 786 declines and 850 advances.
"Sensex and Nifty closed marginally higher on Tuesday amid mixed sentiment in global equity markets. European stocks edged higher despite a sell-off in Asian markets amid escalating trade tensions between the US and other major economies " said Tradebulls Director and Chief Operating Officer Dhruv Desai.
HDFC Securities Head of Retail Research Deepak Jasani told IANS: "Markets ended flat on Tuesday after a volatile intra-day session that saw the Nifty swinging from positive to negative territory several times during the day."
On the currency front the Indian rupee weakened by 12 paise against the US dollar to 68.25 from its previous close of 68.13 per greenback.
Investment-wise provisional data with exchanges showed that foreign institutional investors sold scrip worth Rs 538.40 crore while the domestic institutional investors bought stocks worth Rs 238.05 crore.
Sector-wise the S&P BSE consumer durables index rose by 107.77 points the FMCG stocks were up 85.13 and the IT stocks ended 83.38 points higher from its previous close.
On the other hand S&P BSE auto index fell by 117.02 points the healthcare index was down 83.02 points and the capital goods index ended lower by 59.56 points.
Stock-wise the major gainers on the Sensex were Coal India up 2.10 per cent at Rs 264.50; Maruti Suzuki up 1.80 per cent at Rs 8 950.10; Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) up 1.77 per cent at Rs 1 852.70; Bharti Airtel up 1.75 per cent at Rs 380.15; and Asian Paints up 1.57 per cent at Rs 1 273.70 per share.
The top losers were Tata Motors down 4.31 per cent at Rs 277.35; Reliance Industries down 2.48 per cent at Rs 978.70; Power Grid down 1.82 per cent at Rs 191.45 Tata Motors (DVR) down 1.69 per cent at Rs 165.90; and Tata Steel down 1.64 per cent at Rs 549.35 per share.
--IANS rrb/vd