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Markets ended flat, amid a volatile trading session, as September services PMI which contracted at its steepest pace in four years weighed on investor sentiment.
The 30- Share BSE Sensex ended 19924 up 22 points while broader 50-share NSE Nifty closed down by 2 points at 5907.
In a major setback, the services sector, which occupies the largest share in the Indian economy, contracted at the steepest pace since March 2009, according to the widely-tracked HSBC Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) released today.
The services PMI continued to contract for third time in a row in September and stood at 44.6 points from 47.6 points in August, when it was the lowest since March 2009. In that month, the PMI services had stood at 43.7 points. The services PMI has been deteriorating since July this year.
Markets end flat, Sep PMI weighs Infosys down 0.9 pct, ICICI Bank down 0.9 pct, Dr Rreddy's down 2.3 pct
