Markets closed flat with negative bias; Sensex fell 29 points & Nifty ends at 16,282

Domestic equity barometers ended with almost flat with some negative bias on Wednesday. The markets clocked a swift recovery in the latter half of the session after BSE provided clarification in relation to its new Add-on Price Framework for broader market securities.

The S&P BSE Sensex closed with a loss of 28.73 points or 0.05 per cent at 54,525.93. The Nifty 50 index gained 2.15 points or 0.01 per cent to end at 16,282.25. The Nifty Bank dropped 227.70 points or 0.63 per cent to settle at 35,806.40.

In the broader markets, the BSE SmallCap index closed 0.22 per cent lower and S&P BSE SmallCap closed 0.83 per cent lower.

Sellers outnumbered buyers. On the BSE, 1065 shares rose and 2136 shares fell. On the Nifty 50 index at NSE, the 22 shares rose and 28 shares fell. The top five gainers on Nifty is Tata Steel (up 4 per cent), JSW Steel (up 3.48 per cent), IOC (up 2.49 per cent), ONGC (up 2.40 per cent) and Hindalco (up 2.24 per cent). The top five losers were Shree Cement (down 2.09 per cent), Kotak Bank (down 1.86 per cent), Sun Pharma (down 1.78 per cent), Bajaj Auto (down 1.63 per cent) and ICICI Bank (down 1.01 per cent).

COVID-19 update

Total COVID-19 confirmed cases worldwide were at 20,40,28,771 with 43,14,631 deaths. India reported 3,86,351 active cases of COVID-19 infection and 4,29,179 deaths while 3,12,20,981 patients have been discharged, data showed.

India's Cumulative COVID Vaccination Coverage has reached nearly 52 crores. Union Health Ministry said that more than 40 crore vaccine doses were administered as first dose and over 11 crore vaccine doses given as second doses so far. The new phase of universalization of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on June 21, 2021. Five states namely Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh have administered more than one crore Cumulative Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine in the age group 18 to 44 years.

Economy

The US Senate on Tuesday passed a $1 trillion infrastructure package that is a top priority for US President Joe Biden, a bipartisan victory for the White House that could provide the nation's biggest investment in decades in roads, bridges, airports and waterways. The vote was 69-30 in the 100-seat chamber, with 19 Republicans voting yes. Immediately after that vote concluded, Senators began voting on a follow-up $3.5 trillion spending package that Democrats plan to pass without Republican votes.

Singapore's a trade and industry ministry said on Wednesday that the economy grew 14.7 per cent in the second quarter compared to a year ago, better than official advance estimates of a 14.3 per cent expansion.