The key benchmark indices kept swinging between the red and green zones throughout the choppy session and closed flat. The BSE Sensex closed 8 points lower at 53,018. The index had risen 136 points to touch an intra-day high of 53,377.
The NSE Nifty50 index closed 19 points down at 15,780. The index had moved 90 points higher to its day's high of 15,890.
On the Sensex, only 11 stocks closed in green. Axis Bank, SBI, Kotak Bank, NTPC, L&T, Reliance, ICICI Bank, Titan and PowerGrid rose 0.3-1.7 per cent. Divis Labs, Britannia and SBI Life were the additonal winners on the Nifty.
On the downside, Tech M, Bajaj twins, Tata Steel, IndusInd Bank, HCL Tech, M&M, Nestle, Ultratech Cement, Eicher Motors, Cipla, BPCL JSW Steel, Shree Cement and Coal India were the top drags across the two benchmarks, closing up to 3.5 per cent lower.
The broader markets suffered more losses than the frontline indices. The BSE MidCap and SmallCap indices shed 0.5 and 0.7 per cent, respectively.
Sectorally, Nifty Banks and financials were the sole outperformers, ending around 0.5 per cent up. On the flip side, metals led losses closing 2 per cent down. Other top drags were auto, IT, realty, and PSBs, which cracked a per cent each.
 "Sensex, Nifty end flat in choppy session; metals, auto, IT packs slip most")
