Markets close dull on profit booking (Roundup)

MUMBAI - A benchmark index for Indian equities Tuesday pared its intra-day losses to close flat as traders booked profits ahead of the expiry of September contract in the derivatives segment Thursday. Broader markets too closed on a lacklustre note.

The 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 20,114.37 points, closed at 20,104.86 points, almost unchanged from its previous close at 20,117.38 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the 50-share S&P CNX Nifty followed a similar trajectory to end trade at 6,029.5 points, compared to Monday’s close at 6,035.65.

Broader markets also ended dull. The BSE midcap index closed 0.2 percent higher and the BSE smallcap index nudged up 0.03 percent.

The market breadth was negative with 1,328 scrips advancing, compared to 1,620 stocks declining and 141 remaining unchanged.

Power and the capital goods sector stocks made gains. Selling was seen in oil and gas, IT and telecom scrips.

The major gainers on the Sensex were M&M, up 2.54 percent at Rs.711.80; Reliance Infra, up 2.52 percent at Rs.1,108.45; DLF, up 2.37 percent at Rs.378, and NTPC, up 2.31 percent at Rs.219.45.

Among the losers were HDFC, down 1.96 percent at Rs.713.50; RIL, down 1.12 percent at Rs.998.25; Hindustan Unilever, down 0.83 percent at Rs.306, and Maruti Suzuki, down 0.75 percent at Rs.1,467.05.

Other Asian markets were trading weak, tracking the fall in overnight US stock markets. Major US stock indices fell Monday on the back of a poor showing for financial firms and fresh concerns over Europe’s most indebted governments.

The Japan’s Nikkei closed 1.12 percent lower at 9,495.76 points.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was down 1.03 percent at 22,109.95 points, while the Chinese Shanghai Composite index ended 0.63 percent lower at 2,611.35 points.

European bourses, which fell sharply following fiscal worries of both Spain and Ireland, pared some of its intra-day losses following some healthy economic data.

German consumer confidence rose, as the region’s economic recovery and falling unemployment lifted consumer sentiment to a three-year high in Europe’s biggest economy.

At closing bell here, the FTSE 100 was trading at 5,558.37 points, down 0.27 percent almost unchanged from its previous close.

The German DAX was ruling 0.16 percent up at 6,289.07 points and the French CAC 40 was trading 0.02 percent higher at 3,766.94 points.