Sensex closes flat; auto stocks rise

A day after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)  kept key interest rates unchanged, a benchmark index of Indian equities markets provisionally closed Wednesday's trade flat.

The markets which were sluggish during the day's trade, ended on a marginal negative note a day after the RBI kept the key interest rates unchanged in its fifth bi-monthly monetary policy review held here.

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 28,472.32 points, closed at 28,442.71 points (provisionally), down 1.30 points from the previous day's close at 28,444.01 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 28,504.65 points and a low of 28,370.73 points in the day's trade.

The S&P auto index gained by 255.69 points, capital goods index went up by 156.69 points, and oil and gas index rose by 104.41 points.

However, information technology (IT) index was lower by 21.18 points and TECK index dipped by 9.60 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also was flat. It was up 12.95 points or 0.15 percent at 8,537.65 points.