By IANS,
Mumbai: A benchmark index for Indian equities markets Tuesday gave up its modest intra-day gains to close on a flat note. Capital goods stocks led by heavyweight scrip L&T rose in an otherwise dull market breadth.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 18,016.43 points, closed at 18,011.97 points, up 18.64 points or 0.1 percent from its previous close at 17,993.33 points.
The Sensex had climbed to an intra-day high of 18,110.39 points.
The 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange shut shop at 5,394.85 points, up 0.15 percent.
Broader markets also ended flat with the BSE midcap index closing flat and the BSE smallcap index 0.04 percent down.
FMCG and realty stocks were among major losers, while capital goods, consumer durables and banking scrips rose.
The market breadth was negative with 1,336 stocks advancing, 1,432 on the decline and 132 unchanged.
According to data available with the Securities and Exchange Board of India, foreign institutional investors sold scrips worth $30.5 million Tuesday.
Gainers on the 30-scrip Sensex included: L&T, up 1.75 percent at Rs.1,641.10; Cipla, up 1.62 percent at Rs.314.55; Hero Honda, up 1.33 percent at Rs.1,812.05 and ICICI Bank, up 1.27 percent at Rs.1,019.35.
Among the major losers were: Reliance Infra, down 1.88 percent at Rs.537.85; DLF, down 1.84 percent at Rs.218.95; ITC, down 1.45 percent at Rs.187.30 and SBI, down 1.39 percent at Rs.2,221.60.
Asian markets were quiet Tuesday with the Euro zone sovereign debt crisis continuing to dampen investor sentiments.
The Nikkei of the Japanese stock exchange closed 0.17 percent up at 9,477.17 points, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng ended flat at 22,730.78 points, up 0.09 percent.
The Shanghai Composite index of the Chinese markets too fell 0.27 percent at 2,767.06 points.
European markets were on the rise with traders doing some value buying, helped by a report that German business confidence was steady in May after falling last two months.
Britain’s FTSE was up 0.49 percent at 5,864.76 points.
Around midday, the French CAC 40 rose 0.28 percent at 3,917.93 points, while the German DAX moved up 0.78 percent at 7,177.32 points.