Markets End on a Subdued Note

Markets ended the lacklustre session on a soft note on account Eid holiday and investors turning to sidelines after three consecutive days of gains which pushed the market up 4.6 per cent. Markets opened flat at 5468 on back of weak cues from Asia and United States. The Nifty traded in a narrow 38 points range, touching high of 5498 and a low of 5460. The Nifty ended at 5481, up 1 point and the Sensex closed at 18,300, up 27 points. Other markets in Asia ended on a mixed note, exporter shares gained in Japan on weakening Yen and markets in China surged marginally after latest inflation eased concerns of further tightening in Beijing. Japan's Nikkei Stock Average ended up 0.6 per cent, China's Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.9 per cent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was up 1.1 per cent. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh defended himself in an interview with TV Editors that the government was trying to bring justice in India's largest corruption scandal. However, markets were unmoved by PM's rare roundtable interview with TV editors.