Markets End on a Flat Note

Indian markets continued to decline for the second day on Tuesday. At the close, the 30-share benchmark index, BSE Sensex ended flat with a decline of 3.51 points or 0.02 per cent at 20,025.42, 15 components posting drop, while the broad based NSE Nifty closed flat with a decline of 2.10 points or 0.04 per cent, at 5,996 components posting drop. The main draggers were the Oil & Gas, PSU and Auto indices. On the global front European stocks and U.S. futures were little changed after the Stoxx Europe 600 Index yesterday fell the most in a month, as investors await data from the world’s largest economy. Asian shares advanced. Alcatel-Lucent SA rose 1.4 percent after it resolved U.S. criminal and civil probes into allegations of bribes. Randstad Holding NV climbed 1.5 percent as Dutch temporary staffing revenue increased. Tenaris SA fell after Exane BNP Paribas downgraded the shares.