Equity indices trade flat-to-negative, auto stocks limit fall

Mumbai: The key indices of the Indian equity markets on Wednesday traded on a flat-to-negative note during the mid-afternoon session tracking weak Asian peers. However, robust buying in auto stocks limited the slide of the indices.

Heavy selling pressure was witnessed in consumer durables, capital goods, banking and oil and gas sectors.

According to market observers, investors traded on a cautious note ahead of the outcome of the central bank's first bi-monthly monetary policy of 2018-19 (on Thursday).

Around 1 p.m., the wider Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) traded lower by 12.20 points or 0.12 per cent at 10,232.80 points.

The barometer 30-scrip Sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 33,437.52 points, traded at 33,318.78 points -- down 51.85 points or 0.16 per cent from its previous session's close.

The Sensex has so far touched a high of 33,505.53 points and a low of 33,318.11 points during the intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was, however, bullish with 1,525 advances and 945 declines.

Tata Motors, Hero MotoCorp, Adani Ports, Maruti Suzuki and Hindustan Unilever were the top gainers on the BSE.

On Tuesday, the equity indices closed with appreciable gains -- despite volatility in the global markets -- led by healthy buying in banking, auto, oil and gas, and healthcare stocks.

The Nifty50 edged higher by 33.20 points or 0.33 per cent to close at 10,245 points, while the Sensex closed at 33,370.63 points -- up 115.27 points or 0.35 per cent from its previous session's close.