Sensex flat; bankex, metal indices down

Markets muted inspite of lower than expected IIP nos.

The Sensex after opening in the green, slipped into the red owing to weakness in the metal, bankex and realty stocks. The index touched a low of 17,817. However recovery in the realty and IT scrips helped the benchmark index to recover from its day's low. The IIP data for the month of February is at 15.1% and the Sensex is now at 17,921, down 11 points. The NSE Nifty is 5,356, down five points.

Among the Sensex-30 stocks, Jaiprakash Associates, Sterlite and Larsen & Toubro are down 1.5% each at Rs 149, Rs 872 and Rs 1,615, respectively.

Tata Motors, Tata Power, DLF and ICICI Bank have slipped 1% each.

Sun Pharma, Hindustan Unilever and Hindalco have advanced 1-2% each on the BSE at Rs 1,805, Rs 224 and Rs 180, respectively.

The market breadth is positive, out of 2,696 shares traded, 1,595 have advanced and 1,003 have declined so far on the BSE.

Among the sectoral indices, FMCG and realty indices are up 0.5% each. On the other hand bankex and metal indices are down 0.5% each.