The benchmark Sensex today inched lower by about 18 points to close at 27,957.49, wrapping up 2014-15 with hefty 25 per cent gain -- its best performance in six fiscal years -- buoyed by foreign investments after the Narendra Modi-led government took charge.
After jumping 205 points in early trade, the 30-share index frittered away gains on emergence of profit-booking at the fag-end and ended with a marginal fall of 18.37 points or 0.07 per cent.
However, the mid-cap and small-cap indices outperformed the broader markets, ending with a rise of 0.31 per cent and 0.88 per cent, respectively, the brokers said.
The NSE Nifty also succumbed to selling pressure and closed 1.30 points down at 8,491. It gained about 27 per cent for the fiscal year.
"Amid volatility, equity markets closed almost unchanged on last trading session of the financial year," said Jayant Manglik, President-retail distribution, Religare Securities.
Brokers said higher levels could not be sustained as participants turned cautious and indulged in profit-booking.
Besides, a mixed closing at other Asian markets and a weak opening in Europe also cast a shadow here, they added.
Bucking the trend, stocks of Tata Power gained the most among Sensex constituents by rising 3.42 per cent. GAIL with a rise of 2.37 per cent, followed by Dr Reddy's 1.91 per cent and Tata Motors 1.85 per cent.
Sectorally, the BSE Banking index suffered the most by falling 0.81 per cent, Capital Goods index by 0.49 per cent, IT index by 0.20 per cent and FMCG index by 0.19 per cent.
During the fiscal 2014-15, Sensex has gone up by 5,571.22 points, or 24.88 per cent to 27,957.49 from 22,386.27 on March 31, 2014. The gauge had touched all-time high of 30,024.74 on March 4 this year.
On similar lines, the NSE's Nifty zoomed by 1,786.80 points, or 26.65 per cent, to settle the fiscal at 8,491 after scaling lifetime high of 9,119.20 on March 4 this year.
Foreigners sold shares worth a net Rs 240.34 crore yesterday while Domestic Institutional Investors bought shares worth a net Rs 651.67 crore in yesterday's trade, as per provisional data.
