By IANS,
Mumbai : Indian equities closed marginally in the green Wednesday after alternate buying and selling led a key index to hover around the dotted line.
The 30-scrip Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) sensitive index (Sensex), which opened at 8,473.25 points, closed at 8,446.49 points, a rise of 19.2 points or 0.23 percent from its previous close.
Similarly, the S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) gained 0.87 percent from its last close to end at 2,645.2 points.
However, broader market indices like the BSE midcap index closed 0.33 percent lower, while the BSE smallcap index was down 0.64 percent.
Of the 13 sectoral indices on the BSE, the index for metal, oil and gas and healthcare stocks gained the most while banking stocks were among major losers.
Among gainers on the Sensex were: Reliance Infra, up 4.56 percent at Rs.457.60; Grasim Industries, up 3.99 percent at Rs.1,416.40; TCS, up 3.57 percent at Rs.461.05; and Jaiprakash Associates, up 3.56 percent at Rs.65.45.
Losers on the bellwether index were: ICICI Bank, down 4.08 percent at Rs.284.30; HDFC, down 3.24 percent at Rs.1,616.60; BHEL, down 2.37 percent at Rs.1,332.65; and SBI, down 1.88 percent at Rs.957.55.
Though the Sensex ended in the green, broader market sentiment was negative with 1,440 stocks declining, 993 scrips advancing and 104 remaining unchanged.
The flight of foreign capital from indian equities continued with foreign institutional investors (FIIs) pulling out $160.20 million from the markets during the day.
In Asian markets, the Hang Seng, a key index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, gained 2.47 percent from its last close.
European markets were also faring better with the FTSE index in Britain ruling 2.55 percent below its last close.