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Markets have recovered from the day's lows and is trading almost flat in noon trades. The Sensex is down 23 points at 18681. Nifty, meanwhile is trading down 21 points at 5,622.
For the first 11 months of the current financial year, the Centre's fiscal deficit touched 97.4% of revised estimate (RE) for 2012-13, official data showed today.
The rupee continued to rule easy against the American currency in the late morning trade by slipping 4 paise to 54.40 per dollar on month-end dollar demand from importers amidst higher dollar overseas.
The BSE Auto index, the largest loser among sector indices, is down by 1.2% or 122 points at 9,949 compared to 0.2% fall in benchmark Sensex.
Realty, bankex, power and FMCG indices are in the red as well.On the other hand, BSE metal index has added 1.3% at 8,639. PSU and consumer durables indices are also in the green.
ONGC has gained 3.4% at 313. Sterlite and Hindalco from the metal space have added 3.3% each. Among other key gainers are Gail, Coal India and Dr Reddy's.
Meanwhile, Hero MotoCorp and Tata Motors have slipped 2.5% each. Bharti Airtel, Jindal Steel, HDFC and M&M are also in red.
Aurobindo Pharma has surged over 5% to Rs 137 after the pharmaceutical company said that the US Food and Drug Administration’s (USFDA) has lifted the import alert for non-sterile products manufactured in its UNIT-VI cephalosporin facility based in Hyderabad.
Novartis India has rallied 10% to Rs 639, bouncing back 13% from its intra-day low after the company said it received a letter from Swiss drug firm Novartis AG, also the promoter of the company about their intention to reduce its holding to meet minimum public shareholding norm.
