Equity indices flat, metal stocks shine

Equity benchmark indices traded with thin margins during early hours on Thursday with metal stocks gaining substantial ground.

Market experts said the interplay of resurgence in Covid-19 cases and pace of vaccination will decide the trajectory of economic recovery and market behaviour going forward.

At 10:15 am, the BSE SandP Sensex was up by 41 points or 0.09 per cent at 48,719 while the Nifty 50 ticked higher by 29 points or 0.2 per cent to 14,647.

Sectoral indices at the National Stock Exchange were mixed with Nifty metal up by 2.4 per cent, auto by 1.5 per cent and pharma by 1.1 per cent.

Among stocks, Tata Steel moved up by 4.3 per cent to Rs 1,116.95 per share after reporting a consolidated profit of Rs 6,644 crore in Q4 as compared to a loss of Rs 1,481 crore in the year-ago quarter.