Key Points

Banking and financial services sectors saw buying, while metal and IT stocks dragged.

Sensex ended the session at 80,364.94, down 61.52 points or 0.08 per cent. The 30-share index started the session in green at 80,588.77 against last session's closing of 80426.46. The index remained range-bound despite buying in the broader market. It hit the intra-day high and lows at 80,851.38 and 80,248.84, respectively.

Nifty closed at 24,634.90, down 19.80 points or 0.08 per cent.

"The Indian markets opened on a positive note, reflecting upbeat global cues, but traded in a volatile manner throughout the session. The benchmark Nifty oscillated within a narrow range of 24,800 to 24,600 (rounded levels) before settling near the day's close," according to analysts.

Market participants remained cautious ahead of the upcoming RBI monetary policy outcome, which is expected to be the next key trigger for direction, the notes added.

Axis Bank, Maruti Suzuki, Bharati Airtel, ICICI Bank, L&T, HCL Tech, Kotak Bank and PowerGrid were the top losers from the Sensex stocks. Titan, SBI, NTPC, Trent, Eternal, BEL, Mahindra and Mahindra, Tata Steel, HDFC Bank, Bajaj Finance, Sun Pharma, and Bajaj FinServ ended the session in green.

Sectoral indices traded with a mixed approach. Nifty Auto fell 48 points or 0.18 per cent, and Nifty IT ended the session flat. While Nifty FMCG jumped 98 points or 0.18 per cent, Nifty Bank escalated 71 points or 0.13 per cent, and Nifty Fin Services closed 21 points higher.

Broader markets followed suit as well. Nifty Midcap 100 humped 154 points or 0.27 per cent, Nifty 100 moved up 27 points or 0.11 per cent, and Nifty Next 50 soared 690 points or 1.03 per cent. Nifty Small Cap 100 ended lower.

- IANS