Markets end flat on profit-booking, Sensex rises 14.25 points but retreats from 53k mark

Mumbai: Equity benchmark Sensex ended on a flat note after scaling the 53,000-mark on Tuesday as investors booked profits at higher levels.

A depreciating trend in the rupee also weighed on sentiment, traders said.

After touching a lifetime intra-day peak of 53,057.11, the 30-share BSE Sensex settled 14.25 points or 0.03 per cent higher at 52,588.71, marking its third straight session

of gains.

Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty rose 26.25 points or 0.17 per cent to close at 15,772.75.

Maruti Suzuki, which was the biggest laggard in Monday's session, topped the Sensex gainers' chart on Tuesday with a jump of 5.25 per cent.

L&T, UltraTech Cement, TCS, Titan, Tata Steel and Bajaj Auto were the other winners, advancing up to

2.20 per cent.

On the other hand, Asian Paints, Bajaj Finance, Nestle India, HUL, IndusInd Bank and Sun Pharma were among the major laggards, dropping up to 1.91 per cent.

Sector-wise, BSE capital goods, industrials, auto, power and basic materials indices spurted as much as 1.95 per cent, while realty, bankex, FMCG and finance ended in the red.

Broader BSE midcap and smallcap indices climbed up to 0.83 per cent.

Meanwhile, international oil benchmark Brent crude was trading 0.47 per cent lower at $74.55 per barrel.