Equity benchmarks ended flat with a positive bias on Friday amid mixed cues from the global peers on lingering worries about North Korea. The markets turned directionless in the absence of any positive trigger. Sustained capital infused by domestic institutional investors (DIIs) and strength in the rupee supported the trading sentiment to some extent.

The 30-share benchmark index closed trading at 31687.52 up by 24.78 points or by 0.08 per cent, while the NSE Nifty closed at 9934.8 up by 4.9 points or by 0.05 per cent.

Further, some anxiety also spread among the investors with the private report that the country’s current account deficit is likely to widen to 3 per cent in the second quarter of 2017 due to sharp deterioration in trade deficit. Selling witnessed at Realty, PSU and Power counters, too weighted on the sentiments.

In the day’s trade so-far, Sensex touched intraday high of 31763.7 and intraday low of 31619 The NSE Nifty touched intraday high of 9963.6 and intraday low of 9913.3.

The top gainers of the BSE Sensex pack were Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (Rs. 1172.30,+4.07%), Bharti Airtel Ltd. (Rs. 404.00,+1.65%), Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. (Rs. 1007.60,+1.22%), HDFC Bank Ltd. (Rs. 1788.00,+0.98%), ITC Ltd. (Rs. 272.45,+0.78%), among others.

The top losers of the BSE Sensex pack were Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (Rs. 1294.70,-3.29%), Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd. (Rs. 2158.80,-2.93%), Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Rs. 471.05,-1.87%), Bajaj Auto Ltd. (Rs. 2913.85,-1.76%), Infosys Ltd. (Rs. 884.40,-1.25%), among others.

On the sectoral front, CGS and FMCG stocks emerged as top gainers, rising as much as 1.88 per cent and 0.46 per cent, respectively.

The Market breadth, indicating the overall strength of the market, was weak. On BSE out of total shares traded 2931 , shares advanced were 1214 while 1561 shares declined and 156 were unchanged.