Mumbai, Mar 3: In a special live trading today the BSE benchmark index Sensex ended flat at 17,636.99 points on lack of any major trigger.
Both the stock exchanges BSE and NSE held a special trading session as the BSE is testing its Disaster Recover Site. Trading began at 1115 hrs and concluded at 1245 hrs.
The BSE 30-share barometer moved in a small range between 17,676.83 and 17,617.88 before ending at 17,636.99, showing a minute rise of 0.19 points, or 0.001 per cent.
The broad-based 50-issue Nifty of the National Stock Exchange also edged up by 0.05 points to settle at 5,359.40.
Brokers said investors kept themselves sidelined from the market ahead of state election results to be announced next week. A good showing in the state elections would be a boost for the ruling Congress party and could help revive stalled policy reforms, they added.
Some of the PSUs, power and IT stocks attracted buying support while realty counters continued to suffer on selling.
FIIs bought shares worth Rs 578.65 crore yesterday, as per provisional data from the stock exchanges.
Overall, 13 out of 30 Sensex-based components closed with gains while others finished with losses.
Tata Power rose by 1.09 per cent followed by Jindal Steel (0.52 per cent) and Infosys Tech (0.45 per cent).
Cipla declined by 1 per cent, Bajaj Auto by 0.99 per cent, Sterlite Ind by 0.88 per cent and NTPC by 0.62 per cent.
Total market breadth was positive as 1,374 stocks closed in the green while 878 finished in the red and 100 held unchanged.
