Sensex, Nifty stay afloat in volatile trade

Key stock indices Sensex and Nifty on Monday rode out sharp fluctuations, but closed flat, with realty, metal and power stocks saving the day for them.

Risk appetite took a back seat, reflecting mixed Asian shares on lingering concerns about American tax reforms, traders said.

The market struggled for direction as the 30-share Sensex resumed on a high, but soon slipped on profit-taking, before settling up 17.10 points, or 0.05 per cent, at 33,359.9.

The index had risen 582.36 points in the last two sessions after Moody’s Investors Service upgraded India’s sovereign rating.

The NSE 50-share after moving between 10,309.85 and 10,261.50 on alternate bouts of selling and buying, finished at 10,298.75, with paltry gains of 15.15 points, or 0.15 per cent.

Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers as they bought shares worth ~1,466.94 crore on Friday.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) also bought ~1,276.62 crore, provisional data showed.

“Weak global cues remained a drag earlier in the day, but expectation of more positive measures along GST rates, this time on consumer durables, held markets afloat. The real estate sector continued to attract investors’ attention against the backdrop of the Cabinet's decision to relax interest rate subsidy criterion under the CLSS scheme,” said Anand James, chief market strategist, Geojit Financial Services.

Coal India climbed the most by 1.9 per cent, followed by NTPC, ONGC, Kotak Mahindra Bank and RIL, in that order.

However, Dr Reddy's, ICICI Bank, SBI, Cipla, Infosys and M&M, ended with losses, falling by up to two per cent on profit booking.