Markets trade on a flat note

FMCG shares drag while realty holds up

Markets continued to move on a lacklustre fashion, with the Sensex trading flat at 18,747. Nifty is trading at 5,694 - up just three points.

Meanwhile in Asia, Nikkei and Hang Seng have slipped around half a per cent each with commodity-related firms weighing markets that were nonetheless trading off their worst levels of the session.

The rupee rose by 35 paise to fresh over four-month high of 53.10 against the American currency in early trade today on persistent dollar selling by exporters and some banks, fearing further rise in rupee's value.

BSE realty index is up 3% at 1,834. Power, capital goods and metal shares are also in the positive zone with the indices gaining 2-3% each. However, weakness can be noticed in FMCG index which is down 1.5% at 5,212.

FMCG shares are the key draggers in the Sensex now. HUL and ITC - down 3% each- account for a 63 points fall on the Sensex. HDFC, TCS and Cipla are some of the other key losers today.

On the other hand, BHEL is up 6.6% at Rs 248. Jindal Steel, Tata Power and Hindalco are in the green as well.

Among individual stocks, The irrigation, water and power divisions of Hyderabad-based infrastructure major, IVRCL Limited, have bagged orders aggregating Rs 959.04 crore. Shares of IVRCL have soared 5% to Rs 49.

Shares of KEC International have zoomed nearly 8% to Rs 74 after the company said it's three business divisions have won orders worth Rs 602 crore from domestic and international clients.

GVK Power and Infrastructure has rallied 6.7% to Rs 14.59 on reports that the company controlled Mumbai International Airport sought hike in aeronautical tariffs.

BSE market breadth is positive. Out of 2776 shares traded, 1651 shares have advanced while 1010 shares have declined.