Indian equities close flat, indices at new highs

Despite trading on a sluggish note, the Indian equity markets on Monday were lifted marginally to a new high, with both the key indices scaling fresh closing as well intra-day highs.

Healthy buying was witnessed in consumer durables, capital goods and banking stocks.

The wider 51-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) provisionally closed at a new high of 9,675.10 points -- up 21.60 points or 0.22 per cent -- after touching a record intra-day high of 9,687.20 points.

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE, provisionally closed at a fresh high of 31,309.49 (at 3.30 p.m.) points -- up 36.20 points or 0.12 per cent, from it's previous close at 31,273.29 points.

It touched a new high of 31,355.42 points intra-day.

The BSE market breadth was bullish -- with 1,434 advances and 1,247 declines.

According to market observers, investors were cautious ahead of the Reserve Bank of India's two-day monetary policy review that begins on Tuesday.

--IANS

ppg/vt