A benchmark index of Indian equities markets closed flat Friday, as sentiments were subdued following a disappointing results season as well as speculation surrounding the monetary policy to be announced by the central bank on Tuesday.
The sentiment was bearish a day after markets fell 286 points on negative global cues and derivative expiry. There was heavy selling pressure in metal, bank, public sector undertaking (PSU), capital goods and automobile. However, healthcare, consumer durables and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) stocks gained.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,892.47 points, closed at 19,748.19 points, down 56.57 points or 0.29 percent from the previous close of 19,804.76 points.
The Sensex touched a high of 19,907.45 points and a low of 19,699.76 points during the day's trade.
The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE), ended 0.36 percent or 21.30 points up at 5,886.20 points.
The S&P BSE Metal index lost 254.42 points followed by bank index, down 173.71 points, PSU index, down 87.04 points, capital goods index, down 78.57 points and automobile index, down 63.87 points.
However, the BSE healthcare index was up 21.45 points, the consumer durable index up 9.09 points and the FMCG index was up 8.61 points.
The major Sensex gainers were ITC, up 2.70 percent at Rs.368.50; Sun Pharma, up 2.18 percent at Rs.1,117.70; Hero MotoCorp, up 1.97 percent at Rs.1,865.10; Wipro, up 1.74 percent at Rs.382.80; and Mahindra and Mahindra, up 1.53 percent at Rs.893.55.
The main Sensex losers were Hindalco Inds, down 7.59 percent at Rs.94.40; Sterlite Inds, down 4.61 percent at Rs.76.60; Coal India, down 4.08 percent at Rs.282.40; Jindal Steel, down 3.41 percent at Rs.190.05; and Hindustan Unilever, down 3.38 percent at Rs.663.30.
Other Asian markets closed in the red. Japan's Nikkei closed 2.97 percent down, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.31 percent and China's Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.51 percent.
In Europe, London's FTSE 100 was trading 0.18 percent down. So was Germany's DAX, down 0.57 percent. However, and the French CAC 40, higher by 0.57 percent.