Sensex almost flat in late morning trade

Mumbai :After initial bouts of wide fluctuations, the BSE benchmark Sensex was trading almost flat in late morning trade, up by 19 points in the midst of volatility.

Barring metals, power, healthcare and capital goods sectors, key stocks in IT, telecom, banking, consumer durables and teck witnessed moderate selling.

The BSE Sensex resumed higher at 25,893.84 and hovered in a range of 25,922.47 and 25,832.98 before quoting 25,869.55 at 1035 hours, up by 19.25 points or 0.07 per cent from its last close.

The 50-share Nifty was marginally up by 0.95 points or 0.01 per cent to 7,866.90 at 1035 hours.

Major gainers were, Coal India by 1.24 per cent, M&M by 1.16 per cent, Tata Motors by 0.91 per cent, GAIL by 0.87 per cent and Bhel by 0.81 per cent.

However, Adani Ports fell by 0.70 per cent, ICICI Bank by 0.63 per cent, Tata Steel by 0.42 per cent, SBIN by 0.39 per cent and Bharti Airtel by 0.39 per cent.

Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 385.82 crore yesterday, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges.

In overseas markets, Asian markets advanced following overnight gains in US stocks.

US markets closed higher for the third straight session yesterday, led by outsized gains in the energy and materials sectors.

The recovery in oil prices lifted energy stocks in the region, with US crude nearly 1 per cent higher in Asia trade following a 4 per cent rally overnight.

PTI