Mumbai, April 30 (IANS) A benchmark index for Indian equities Friday ended flat even as midcap scrips outperformed larger stocks.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,503.47 points, ended at 17,558.71 points, 55.24 points or 0.32 percent higher than its previous close at 17,503.47 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was ruling at 5,278 points, a gain of 0.45 percent or 23.85 points from its previous close at 5,254.15 points.

Broader market indices outperformed the Sensex with the BSE midcap index ending one percent higher and the BSE smallcap index 0.39 percent up.

The market breadth was positive with as many as 1,682 scrips advancing compared to 1,215 stocks declining, while 101 remained unchanged.

Gains were seen in realty, auto, and healthcare stocks, while metal stocks came under selling pressure.

Top gainers on the 30-scrip Sensex were Hero Honda, up 3.72 percent at Rs.1,904.95; Tata Motors, up 3.56 percent at Rs.872.85; NTPC, up 1.62 percent at Rs.206.95; and Reliance Infra, up 1.15 percent at Rs.1,136.10.

Major losers included Tata Steel, down 2.24 percent at Rs.618.80; Wipro, down 2.14 percent at Rs.673.50; Grasim Industries, down 1.36 percent at Rs.2,728.25; and Sun Pharma, down 1.15 percent at Rs.1,566.80.

News of the Greece government firming up austerity measures to quickly secure a debt relief package from European countries helped stocks rise in Asian bourses.

In Asia, the South Korean Kospi closed 0.76 percent up at 1,741.56 points, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng ended 1.59 percent higher at 21,108.59 points.

The Japanese Nikkei, too, ended in the positive, up 1.21 percent at 11,057.40 points.

However, the Chinese Shanghai composite index ended flat at 2,870.61 points, up 0.08 percent.

European stocks, which started in the green, were trading lower at the time of closing bell here.

The FTSE 100, the benchmark index of the London Stock Exchange, was at 5,583.96 points, down 0.6 percent, while its German peer, DAX, was trading 0.17 percent higher at 6,155.09 points.

The French CAC 40 index was trading 0.61 percent lower at 3,817.01 points.