Markets end on flat note on F&O expiry

Mumbai: Equity indices surrendered early gains to end modestly lower on Thursday, extending their loss-making streak to the sixth straight session, amid expiry of July series derivative contracts.

After soaring over 300 points in opening trade, the 30-share BSE Sensex came under selling pressure to finally close at 37,830.98, showing a loss of 16.67 points or 0.04 per cent.

The broader NSE Nifty too shed 19.15 points or 0.17 per cent to settle at 11,252.15.

According to traders, market turned highly volatile on the expiry of July futures and options (F&O) contracts. Despite a positive opening, stock-specific action in index heavyweight RIL, Bajaj Finance, ITC and L&T steered the market in the negative terrain, they said.

Sectorally, the BSE energy, oil and gas, metal, industrials, capital goods and utilities declined up to 1.91 per cent.

However, healthcare, IT, teck, consumer durables, bankex, realty and finance indices ended up to 1.61 per cent higher. The BSE midcap index outperformed the benchmark, rising 0.53 per cent, while the smallcap gauge slipped 0.09 per cent.

On a net basis, foreign institutional investors sold equities worth Rs 1,393.71 crore on Wednesday, while domestic institutional investors purchased shares to the tune of Rs 2,140.26 crore, provisional data available with stock exchanges showed.

On the currency front, the Indian rupee depreciated marginally to 69.02 against the US dollar (intra-day). Meanwhile, the global oil benchmark Brent crude futures rose 0.79 per cent to $63.68 per barrel.