Stock Market Ends Flat: Sensex Up Marginally By 44 Points, Nifty Holds 18,000 Amid Volatility. IT, Metal Up

Stock update: On the 30-share Sensex platform, TechM, Nestle, Tata Steel, NTPC, TCS, Asian Paints emerged winners. On the flip side, HUL, M&M, Axis Bank, Bajaj Finance, Tata Motors, HCL were the losers

The two key equity benchmarks, Sensex and Nifty, on Thursday ended on a flat note due to volatility during fag-end trading on account of the weekly Nifty F&O expiry.

The S&P BSE Sensex was ended marginally higher by 44 points to 61,319. The Sensex scaled a fresh calendar year high at 61,682 in morning deals led by strong gains in IT shares. However, the late sell-off, saw the BSE benchmark forfeit all its gains and slip into red to a low of 61,197 – down 485 points from the day’s high.

On the other hand, NSE Nifty50 closed at 18,035, up 20 points. It hit a high of 18,135, but dipped into red and touched a low of 18,001 towards the fag end of the day.

On the 30-share Sensex platform, TechM, Nestle, Tata Steel, NTPC, TCS, Asian Paints emerged winners. On the flip side, HUL, M&M, Axis Bank, Bajaj Finance, Tata Motors, HCL were the losers.

In the broader markets, the BSE Midcap and Smallcap added nearly a per cent each.

Among sectors, information technology, metal, and realty up 1 per cent each.

In the previous session on Wednesday, the S&P Sensex gained 243 points to 61,275. The NSE Nifty reclaimed the 18,000-mark, settling with gain of 86 points at 18,016.

Meanwhile, the rupee appreciated by 13 paise to close at 82.70 (provisional) against the US currency on Thursday, supported by broad dollar weakness and a positive trend in domestic equities. Forex traders said upbeat domestic trade deficit data and foreign fund inflows supported investor sentiments.

At the interbank foreign exchange market, the local unit opened at 82.72 against the American currency and finally settled at 82.70 (provisional) against the greenback, registering a gain of 13 paise over its previous close of 82.83. During the trading session, the rupee touched a high of 82.59 and a low of 82.73 against the dollar. The dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, declined 0.21 per cent to 103.70.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude futures declined 0.50 per cent to $84.95 per barrel.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net buyers in the capital market on Wednesday as they purchased shares worth Rs 432.15 crore, according to exchange data.