Sensex closes flat; metal, healthcare stocks gain

A benchmark index of Indian equities markets closed 17 points up Monday with metals, health care and consumer durables stocks gaining.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,780.93 points, closed at 17,766.78 points (provisional), 17.13 points or 0.10 percent up from its previous day's close at 17,749.65 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 17,780.93 points and a low of 17,728.12 points in intra-day trade.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was ruling 4.75 points or 0.09 percent up at 5,363.45 points.

On the sectoral front, the BSE health care index which was up by 71.07 points followed by metal index was up 61.08 points and the consumer durables index was up 60.34 points.

Top Sensex gainers were Sun Pharma, up 17.85 points at Rs.684.00; Bharti Airtel, up 6.05 points at Rs.260.60; Coal India, up 5.60 points at Rs.365.95; Tata Steel, up 5.60 points at Rs.379.40; and Bajaj Auto, up 22.65 points at Rs.1,706.60.

The main Sensex losers included BHEL, down 4.70 points at Rs.197.80; State Bank of India (SBI), down 39.10 points at Rs.1,856.35; Jindal Steel, down seven percent at Rs.345.20 points; Wipro, down 5.40 points at Rs.375.20; and Tata Power, down 1.30 points at Rs.95.20.