Equity indices flat in early trading amid rising geopolitical tensions

Equity benchmark indices were subdued during early hours on Wednesday amid escalating border tensions between India and China and surge in COVID-19 cases.

At 10:15 am, the BSE SandP Sensex was up by 83 points or 0.25 per cent at 33,689 while the Nifty 50 edged higher by 22 points or 0.22 per cent at 9,936.

Sectoral indices at the National Stock Exchange were mixed with Nifty PSU bank down by 0.9 per cent but realty up by 1 per cent.

Among stocks, the gainers included Maruti Suzuki, Tech Mahindra, Wipro, Britannia, Tata Steel and Axis Bank.

However, Bharti Infratel, Power Grid Corporation, Mahindra and Mahindra, Hero MotoCorp and State Bank of India were in the negative zone.

Meanwhile, Asian share markets took a breather as a resurgence of coronavirus cases challenged market confidence in a rapid economic recovery.

Japan's Nikkei eased by 0.7 per cent after jumping almost 5 per cent a day earlier for its biggest daily gain in three months.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia Pacific shares outside Japan went flat, having climbed 2.8 per cent the previous day with most markets across the region little changed.