Sensex flat; BSE metal index down 1%

The markets have partially given up their gains owing to select selling in metal and banking stock. The Sensex is now nearing the dotted line and is now at 17,079, up 27 points. The NSE Nifty is at 5,104, up three points.

The BSE midcap and the smallcap indices are trading flat.

Among the Sensex-30 stocks, Hero Honda and Reliance are the top gainers on the BSE, have advanced 2% each to Rs 1,911 and Rs 1,008, respectively.

ACC, Tata Motors, Hindustan Unilever and Tata Power have added 1.5% each at Rs 1,004, Rs 783, Rs 239 and Rs 1,350, respectively.

ICICI Bank, NTPC and Tata Steel on the other hand have declined 1% each to Rs 914, Rs 200 and Rs 607, respectively.

The other major losers on the BSE are Larsen & Toubro, Bharti Airtel, Sterlite Industries and Sun Pharma, down 0.5% each.

The market breadth has turned negative, out of 2,820 shares traded, 1,536 have declined and 1,176 have advanced so far on the BSE.

Among the sectoral indices, metal index has slipped 1% on the BSE. scrips like Gujarat NRE Coke and Jindal Steel have  dropped 2% each on the metal index. On the other hand oil&gas indices has added 1% on the BSE.