Sensex ends flat, Nifty fails to retain 10,400 level

The Indian indices closed slightly lower today ahead of the expiry of derivative contracts for February series and taking cues from key Asian counterparts.

Benchmark Nifty closed just 0.14% down to 10,382.70 points, while Sensex too ended flat at 33,819.50, down 0.07%.

Most of the stocks on the benchmark Nifty closed in the negative territory, indicating a negative sentiment prevailing in the market. 

Most of the automobiles, financial services, media and metals stocks ended lower. 

Punjab National Bank (PNB), which was in the middle of controversy, closed 2.73% lower on the NSE.

Asian shares slipped today as the risk of faster hikes in US interest rates lifted short-term Treasury yields to the highest in almost a decade and boosted the dollar.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan eased 0.35% in early trade, while E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 lost 0.2%.

Even as the yen gave back some of its recent gains on the dollar, Japan's Nikkei shed 1%.

On Wall Street, the Dow had ended Wednesday down 0.67%, while the S&P 500 fell 0.55% and the Nasdaq 0.22%.
(With agency inputs)