Markets remain flat

The markets are flat after nearly two hours of trading with no clear cues from the Asian front. Hang Seng is up 0.2% , while the Nikkei is down 0.8%. However, the midcaps and the smallcaps continue to do well as compared to the broader markets. The Sensex is up six points at 18,174 and the Nifty is at 5,458 up six points.

On the BSE Sectoral Indices, Consumer Durables have extended gains while Bankex has slipped into the red along with Health Care, IT and Teck. FMCG and Auto too has extended gains although marginally.

Titan Industries has added 3%, followed by Rajesh Exports and Gitanjali Gems, up nearly 2% each, are the main propellers in the Consumer Durables space. On the FMCG front, Hindustan Unilever and Dabur India up 1.5% each are the top gainers. However, SBI and ICICI Bank, down 1% and 0.2% are the major draggers in the Bankex space.

On the Sensex gainers list, Sterlite Industries adding 2% continues to lead, followed by Hindustan Unilever and DLF, up 1.5% each. Market heavyweight, RIL has gained 0.5% and is trading at Rs 984.

Cipla and Reliance Communications, down nearly 3%, are the top losers on the Sensex. The other significant losers are Reliance Infrastructure, Jaiprakash Associates and Tata Power.

The market breadth continues to be positive, with 1769 stock advances and 946 declines.