Profit booking, weak rupee curb gains; equities end flat

Indian equities markets closed on a flat-to-positive note on Thursday as profit booking, coupled with a weakened rupee and caution ahead of the European Central Bank's policy meet capped gains.

However, hopes of healthy third-quarter (Q3) results kept investors' sentiments buoyed.

The wider 51-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) rose by 18.10 points or 0.22 per cent, to 8,435.10 points.

The barometer 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 27,253.34 points, provisionally closed at 27,308.60 points (at 3.30 p.m.) -- up 50.96 points or 0.19 per cent from the previous close at 27,257.64 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 27,348.19 points and a low of 27,219.89 points during the intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was marginally tilted in favour of the bulls -- with 1,422 advances and 1,310 declines.

On Wednesday, broadly positive global indices and inflow of foreign funds buoyed the benchmark indices.

The NSE Nifty rose by 19 points or 0.23 per cent, to 8,417 points, while the BSE Sensex was up 21.98 points or 0.08 per cent.

--IANS

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