Equities end flat, profit booking caps gains

Mumbai: The Indian equities markets closed on flat-to-positive note on Wednesday as broadly positive Asian indices and healthy third-quarter (Q3) results buoyed investors' sentiments.

However, profit booking, a weakened rupee and caution ahead of US Federal Reserve Chairman Janet Yellen's speech on monetary policy capped gains.

The wider 51-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) rose by 19 points or 0.23 per cent, to 8,417 points.

The barometer 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 27,261.76 points, provisionally closed at 27,257.64 points (at 3.35 p.m.) -- up 21.98 points or 0.08 per cent from the previous close at 27,235.66 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 27,422.67 points and a low of 27,217.65 points during the intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was tilted in favour of the bulls -- with 1,500 advances and 1,253 declines.

On Tuesday, profit booking and negative global indices subdued the benchmark indices.

The NSE Nifty fell by 14.80 points or 0.18 per cent, to 8,398 points, while the BSE Sensex was down 52.51 points or 0.19 per cent.