Sensex flat at 11,651 as major indices in the red

Mumbai, Apr 12: The benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) opened with a gain of 30 points at 11,693 points as compared to the last close of 11,662.

Later, the 30 share Sensitive Index (Sensex) crossed 11,700 mark touching a high of 11,702.77 points and then fell more than 100 points to a low of 11,593 during the first one-and-a-half hours of trading.

The Sensex was trading with a loss of 11 points at 11,651 at 1133 hrs on the back of major global indices closing in the red.

US market indices NYSE was down by 0.83 per cent, Nasdaq was down by 0.98 per cent and Dow Jones was down by 0.46 per cent, while Japanese Nikkei was down by 1.17 per cent.

The crude oil prices have touched a fresh high of USD 69 per barrel in the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) which are affecting investors' sentiments.

Also, the foreign fund outflow of Rs 427 crore on Friday reported by market regulator SEBI was impacting the market.

However, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) S&P CNX Nifty index opened higher at 3,479 as compared to the last close at 3,478. Nifty was trading at 3,468 with a loss of ten points at 1145 hrs.

The BSE smallcap index was up by 1.45 per cent and BSE midcap index was up by 0.73 per cent gains.

Among the sectoral indices, BSE Metal index was up by 2.18 per cent and BSE Oil and Gas index was up by 1.50 per cent and Consumer Durable index was up by 1.29 per cent.

Indices of BSE information technology, technology, automobile, bank, health care and FMCG were in the red.

The top gainers on the Sensex were Hindalco, Reliance, Tata Power, ACC, Bajaj Auto, NTPC, Tata Steel, Bharti Tele, Gujarat Ambuja Cements and Dr Reddy's Lab.

The top losers were Hero Honda, TCS, Wipro, Satyam Computers, HDFC, Tata Motors, Infosys, Ranbaxy, HDFC Bank and Cipla.

UNI