Sensex, Nifty50 close flat; TCS top loser (Third Lead)

The BSE Sensex on Tuesday provisionally closed on a flat-to-negative note after a huge sell-off in stocks of IT major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) pulled the index lower. The Nifty50, however, ended marginally in the green.

According to market observers, TCS scrips plunged over five per cent on announcements of block deals on both BSE and National Stock Exchange (NSE). However, stocks of consumer durables, oil and gas, healthcare and banking witnessed healthy buying and limited the downside.

The wider NSE Nifty50 inched up 5.45 points or 0.05 per cent to provisionally close trade at 10,426.85 points (at 3.30 p.m.).

On the other hand, the barometer 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex), which opened at 33,818.22 points, closed at 33,856.78 points -- down 61.16 points or 0.18 per cent from the previous session's close.

The Sensex touched a high of 34,077.32 points and a low of 33,722.96 points during the intra-day trade.

In contrast, the BSE market breadth was bullish, with 1,730 advances and 957 declines.

Earlier during the day, healthy macro-economic data, along with healthy buying in banking, consumer durables, oil and gas and healthcare stocks had lifted the key Indian equity indices. The BSE Sensex had reclaimed the 34,000-mark in the course.

On Monday, the benchmark indices witnessed the biggest intra-day gains in around two years on the back of across-the-board buying, as well as positive cues from the global markets on easing trade war fears.

The Nifty50 edged higher by 194.55 points, or 1.90 per cent, to close trade at 10,421.40 points, while the Sensex closed at 33,917.94 points -- up 610.80 points, or 1.83 per cent, from the previous session's close.

--IANS

ppg/nir