By IANS,
New Delhi: A benchmark index for Indian equities markets Thursday closed flat, adding just 23 points in cautious trading on derivatives expiry and weak European cues.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 16,985.58 points in the morning, closed at 16,990.76 points, up 0.14 percent or 23 points from its previous close of 16,967.76 points.
The Sensex touched a high of 17,033.85 points and a low of 16,918.87 points intra-day. The BSE midcap index rose 3.96 points while the smallcap index gained 14.46 points.
The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange closed 0.14 percent higher at 5,149.15 points.
BSE FMCG index was up 39.83 points, power index was up 7.34 points, PSU index was up 21.94 points.
The major Sensex gainers were Tata Steel, up 1.83 percent at Rs.428.40; Hero MotoCorp, up 1.58 percent at Rs.2,087.80; NTPC, up 1.48 percent at Rs.157.25; ITC, up 1.47 at Rs.251.45; and Coal India, up 1.43 percent at Rs.347.90.
The main losers were Gail India, down 2.44 percent at Rs.345.75; Sterlite Inds, down 1.86 percent at Rs.97.85; Hindalco Inds, down 1.24 percent at Rs.115.30; Sun Pharma, down 1.08 percent at Rs.616.35; and SBI, down 0.85 percent at Rs.2,095.45.
At the closing bell here, European markets were trading lower amid volatility ahead of the two-day European Union summit beginning June 28 in Brussels that will deliberate on how to stop the Eurozone falling apart.
Germany’s DAX and Britain’s FTSE 100 were trading 1.58 and 0.88 percent lower respectively, while France’s CAC was down 1.13 percent.