Thaindian News

Mumbai, May 25 (IANS) In choppy and lacklustre trade Friday, a benchmark index for Indian equities markets closed flat at 16,217.82 points as investors booked profit after the rally following a hike in petrol prices two days ago.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 16,213.24 points closed at 16,217.82 points, down 0.03 percent or 4.48 points from its previous close of 16,222.30 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 16,273.48 points and a low of 16,118.35 in intra-day trade. The BSE midcap index rose 25.73 points while the smallcap index declined 33.49 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P; CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange closed 0.02 percent lower at 4,920.40 points.

Brokers and analysts said the markets, which opened on weak Asian cues, made some gains after the rupee recovered further against the dollar, but fresh selling towards the close of trading, especially in FMCG scrips, eroded the gains.

The FMCG index fell 0.46 percent or 21.14 points, while the consumer durables index was down 0.28 percent or 17.82 points. The healthcare index also fell 0.13 percent or 8.62 points.

However, some buying was seen in metal, capital goods and realty stocks.

The metal index was up 0.92 percent or 92.30 points, capital goods was up 0.89 percent 78.38, and realty index was 0.54 percent up or 8.39 points.

Major Sensex gainers included Gail India, up 3.37 percent at Rs.336.30; Tata Steel, up 2.43 percent at Rs.408.25; DLF, up 1.89 percent at Rs.188.45; SBI, up 1.74 percent at Rs.2005; and Larsen and Toubro, up 1.54 percent at Rs.1186.40.

Prominent Sensex losers were Hindustan Unilever, down 0.88 percent at Rs.420.95; HDFC, down 0.86 percent at Rs.656.85; ITC, down 0.75 at Rs.231.75; RIL, down 0.64 percent at Rs.692; and ICICI Bank, down 0.49 percent at Rs.815.90.