Sensex flat; market breadth negative

The Sensex is now up four points at 12,177.

ITC has slipped 1.6% to Rs 181. Bharti Airtel and ONGC have shed 1.2% each to Rs 468 and Rs 1,154, respectively.

Gujarat Ambuja and Grasim are the other notable losers.

HDFC has advanced over 1% to Rs 1,408.

The market breadth has turned negative - out of 2,483 stocks traded so far, 1,310 have declined, 1,082 have advanced and 91 are unchanged.