Sensex closes flat

Mumbai, March 10 : A benchmark index for Indian equities shut shop on a flat note Wednesday, giving up its intra-day gains.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,072.94 points, was ruling at 17,092.16 points (provisional), 39.62 points or 0.23 percent higher than its previous close at 17,052.54 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S and P CNX Nifty was ruling at 5,115.95 points against the previous close at 5,101.5 points, up 0.28 percent or 14.45 points.

Broader markets came under greater selling pressure with the BSE midcap index ending 0.27 percent lower and the BSE small cap index closing 0.19 percent down.

The market breadth was negative, with 1,184 stocks advancing, compared to 1,649 scrips on the decline, while 68 remained unchanged.

Most other Asian markets too ended trade on a dull note.

The benchmark Japanese index, Nikkei, ended flat at 10,563.92 points, while the South Korean Kospi closed a meagre 0.08 percent up at 1,662.24 points.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng too shut shop at 21,208.29 points. Chinese Shanghai composite index, however, closed 0.66 percent down at 3,048.93 points.