Sensex posted its best weekly gain in four months, but closed barely changed on Friday, with investors locking in gains after the recent rally, while the next week was viewed with uncertainty as unrest in the Middle East continues. 
The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex touched a five-week high of 18,736.97 before ending flat due to profit booking amid firm global trends.
Tracking rally in Asian stocks, Sensex snapped a four-session winning streak and closed 0.02 percent, or 3.31 points, lower at 18,486.45 points, after rising as much as 1.3 percent earlier.
Later, profit booking at existing higher levels, however, pulled the index down to 18,486.45 points at close, a fall of a mere 3.31 points.
"After four straight days of solid gains, the Indian markets ended flat on Friday as investors decided to take a pause after the post-Budget rally," IIFL Head of Research (India Private Clients) Amar Ambani said.
The Sensex had rallied by 857.35 points, or 4.86 per cent in the last four straight sessions.
Market is consolidating after the recent rise, triggered after the budget, Vaibhav Sanghavi, director of Ambit Capital, said.
The National Stock Exchange 50-issue Nifty also finished nearly stable but survived to close in positive terrain at 5,538.75 points from Thursday's close of 5,536.20.
Brokers attributed early rise to hopes of financial sector reforms as the government cleared the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2011.
Despite strong global cues, operators as well as retail investors preferred to book profits on worries over spiralling global crude oil prices which were trading above USD 102 a barrel in London on Friday.
Capital goods stocks were at the receiving end while some of the banking and auto stocks attracted good buying support.
Among the Sensex scrips, L&T dipped by 3.08 per cent, Jaipra Asso by 2.04 per cent, BHEL by 1.94 per cent, TCS by 1.37 per cent, Bharti Airtel by 1.19 per cent, Maruti Suzuki by 1.09 per cent and Tata Steel by 0.93 per cent.
However, Tata Power rose by 2.27 per cent, Hero Honda by 2.15 per cent, Bajaj Auto by 2.00 per cent, HDFC by 1.63 per cent, REL Infra by 1.38 per cent, Jindal Steel by 1.27 per cent, Infosys Tech by 1.23 per cent and HDFC Bk by 1.16 pct.
Amongst sectoral indices, the BSE-CG tumbled by 2.06 per cent while the Bankex firmed up by 0.53 per cent and the BSE-Auto by 0.44 per cent.
The total market breadth was negative as 1,484 stocks closed with losses against 1,391 that finished with gains on the BSE. The total market turnover dropped to Rs. 3,165.97 crore from Rs. 3,833.73 crore on Thursday. SBI topped the list of highest traded securities with a turnover of Rs. 175.81 crore. Asian shares closed higher helped by solid overnight gains on Wall Street. The key benchmark indices from China,
Sanghavi said: It is very difficult to say, how the market will behave next week. Unless, the situation in the Middle East stabilises, we will continue to see volatile trade.
Situation in Middle East was closely watched after opponents of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi prepared to march in the capital.
The situation in Libya is changing by the hour. It is too difficult to assess the situation for now, Shankar Char, vice-president and head of sales trading at ICICI Securities.
Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan closed higher between 0.53 per cent and 1.73 per cent.
European markets too were trading higher on rally on Wall Street on Thursday following strong economic data. The CAC was up by 0.56 per cent, the DAX by 0.76 per cent and the FTSE by 0.54 per cent.
STOCKS THAT MOVED
* Strides Arcolab jumped 4.4 percent to Rs. 374.85 after the drugmaker said its fully owned unit Onco Therapies Ltd has received European Union approval for its oncology drug carboplatin.
* Areva T&D fell 2.3 percent to Rs. 266.70 after Citigroup downgraded the stock to "hold" from "buy" and cut the price target to Rs. 290 from Rs. 340.
MAIN TOP THREE BY VOLUME ON BSE
* Unitech on 8.4 million shares
* SpiceJet on 7.1 million shares
The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex touched a five-week high of 18,736.97 before ending flat due to profit booking amid firm global trends. Tracking rally in Asian stocks, Sensex snapped a four-session winning streak and closed 0.02 percent, or 3.31 points, lower at 18,486.45 points, after rising as much as 1.3 percent earlier.
Later, profit booking at existing higher levels, however, pulled the index down to 18,486.45 points at close, a fall of a mere 3.31 points.
"After four straight days of solid gains, the Indian markets ended flat on Friday as investors decided to take a pause after the post-Budget rally," IIFL Head of Research (India Private Clients) Amar Ambani said.
The Sensex had rallied by 857.35 points, or 4.86 per cent in the last four straight sessions.
Market is consolidating after the recent rise, triggered after the budget, Vaibhav Sanghavi, director of Ambit Capital, said.
The National Stock Exchange 50-issue Nifty also finished nearly stable but survived to close in positive terrain at 5,538.75 points from Thursday's close of 5,536.20.
Brokers attributed early rise to hopes of financial sector reforms as the government cleared the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2011.
Despite strong global cues, operators as well as retail investors preferred to book profits on worries over spiralling global crude oil prices which were trading above USD 102 a barrel in London on Friday.
Capital goods stocks were at the receiving end while some of the banking and auto stocks attracted good buying support.
Among the Sensex scrips, L&T dipped by 3.08 per cent, Jaipra Asso by 2.04 per cent, BHEL by 1.94 per cent, TCS by 1.37 per cent, Bharti Airtel by 1.19 per cent, Maruti Suzuki by 1.09 per cent and Tata Steel by 0.93 per cent.
However, Tata Power rose by 2.27 per cent, Hero Honda by 2.15 per cent, Bajaj Auto by 2.00 per cent, HDFC by 1.63 per cent, REL Infra by 1.38 per cent, Jindal Steel by 1.27 per cent, Infosys Tech by 1.23 per cent and HDFC Bk by 1.16 pct.
Amongst sectoral indices, the BSE-CG tumbled by 2.06 per cent while the Bankex firmed up by 0.53 per cent and the BSE-Auto by 0.44 per cent.
The total market breadth was negative as 1,484 stocks closed with losses against 1,391 that finished with gains on the BSE. The total market turnover dropped to Rs. 3,165.97 crore from Rs. 3,833.73 crore on Thursday. SBI topped the list of highest traded securities with a turnover of Rs. 175.81 crore. Asian shares closed higher helped by solid overnight gains on Wall Street. The key benchmark indices from China,
Sanghavi said: It is very difficult to say, how the market will behave next week. Unless, the situation in the Middle East stabilises, we will continue to see volatile trade.
Situation in Middle East was closely watched after opponents of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi prepared to march in the capital.
The situation in Libya is changing by the hour. It is too difficult to assess the situation for now, Shankar Char, vice-president and head of sales trading at ICICI Securities.
Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan closed higher between 0.53 per cent and 1.73 per cent.
European markets too were trading higher on rally on Wall Street on Thursday following strong economic data. The CAC was up by 0.56 per cent, the DAX by 0.76 per cent and the FTSE by 0.54 per cent.
STOCKS THAT MOVED
* Strides Arcolab jumped 4.4 percent to Rs. 374.85 after the drugmaker said its fully owned unit Onco Therapies Ltd has received European Union approval for its oncology drug carboplatin.
* Areva T&D fell 2.3 percent to Rs. 266.70 after Citigroup downgraded the stock to "hold" from "buy" and cut the price target to Rs. 290 from Rs. 340.
MAIN TOP THREE BY VOLUME ON BSE
* Unitech on 8.4 million shares
* SpiceJet on 7.1 million shares
