The Indian benchmark indices remained flat since the opening bell as surge in Metals and Healthcare stocks counterbalanced the selling pressure in Banking and Capital Goods stocks. After a wasted session of parliament, investors now are looking forward to RBI’s monetary policy review on September 17 hoping for at least a CRR cut. The cautiousness also prevailed due to the release of August inflation and IIP data this week.

At 1:30PM, BSE SENSEX was at 17744.15, down by 5.5 points or 0.03 per cent while the NSE’s broad-based Nifty was at 5360.2, up by 1.5 points or 0.03 per cent.

The BSE MIDCAP was at 6159.37, up by 16.63 points or 0.27 per cent, while the BSE SMLCAP was at 6530.77, up by 34.54 points or 0.53 per cent.

Telecom honcho Bharti Airtel was up nearly 2 per cent on the reports that it will file a draft IPO prospectus with the market regulator early this week for raising Rs 5,000 crore through its tower arm.

The Market breadth, indicating the overall strength of the market, was weak. On BSE, out of total shares traded 2770, 1,426 were advancing while 1,226 shares declined and 118 were unchanged.

The top losers of the BSE Sensex pack were Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (Rs. 197.70,2.37%), Jindal Steel & Power Ltd. (Rs. 343.95,2.34%), ICICI Bank Ltd. (Rs. 929.00,1.27%), State Bank of India (Rs. 1872.30,1.22%), Tata Power Company Ltd. (Rs. 95.45,1.09%), among others.

In BSE, BSE Realty index was at 1536.59 down by 15.4 points or by 0.99%. Housing Development & Infrastructure Ltd. (Rs. 69.40,3.41%), Indiabulls Real Estate Ltd. (Rs. 44.10,1.56%), D B Realty Ltd. (Rs. 73.30,1.48%), DLF Ltd. (Rs. 201.45,1.32%), Unitech Ltd. (Rs. 18.50,1.07%).

In BSE, BSE_Bankex index was at 11544.82 down by 101.63 points or by 0.87%. Axis Bank Ltd. (Rs. 961.00,1.79%), ICICI Bank Ltd. (Rs. 929.00,1.27%), State Bank of India (Rs. 1872.30,1.22%), IDBI Bank Ltd. (Rs. 87.55,0.85%), YES Bank Ltd. (Rs. 334.65,0.74%).

Meanwhile, European markets also opened flat today as investors hoped of monetary easing in the US after ECB unveiled its unlimited bond-buying plan that lifted the sentiments last week.