Indian shares closed little changed on Monday, ending the month with losses, as caution prevailed ahead of GDP data due later in the day and the central bank's monetary policy meet on Tuesday.
The 30-share BSE index Sensex ended up by 17.47 points or 0.07 per cent at 26,145.67, down 1.92 per cent for the month.
Similarly, the 50-share NSE index Nifty ended down by 7.45 points or 0.09 per cent at 7,935.25, posting a decline of 1.62 per cent for the month.
Among BSE sectoral indices, IT index gained the most by 1.04 per cent, followed by consumer durables 1.04 per cent, realty 0.97 per cent and TECk 0.58 per cent. On the other hand, FMCG index was down 0.63 per cent, followed by healthcare 0.41 per cent and metal 0.35 per cent.
Gains in auto, capital goods and consumer staples helped narrowly edge out losses in energy, materials, telecom and healthcare stocks.
Top five Sensex gainers were Infosys (+2.08%), ICICI Bank (+1.67%), M&M (+1.41%), Tata Motors (+1.39%) and Bajaj Auto (+1.34%), while the major losers were Bharti Airtel (-2.09%), Vedanta (-1.96%), Coal India (-1.65%), Lupin (-1.31%) and Sun Pharma (-1.26%).
RBI policy review
India's economic growth likely picked up in the July-September quarter, outpacing China on improving domestic demand and manufacturing activity that could persuade the Reserve Bank of India to keep interest rates unchanged on Tuesday.
Asia's third-largest economy likely expanded 7.3 per cent in the second quarter of the current financial year that ends in March, compared with 7 per cent in April-June, according to analysts polled by Reuters.
"The market is indecisive. I don't think the market is assuming any direction looking at the indices," said Deven Choksey, managing director at KR Choksey Securities.
A report by SMC Global said: "US stocks ended narrowly mixed in a shortened session on last trading day after oil prices declined. Chinese market opened higher and other Asian equities traded mostly in the red. Indian growth data will be announced today and on Tuesday, government is expected to present GST Bill in Parliament and also RBI would review its monetary policy. French consumer spending measures -0.7% vs 0.1% earlier, the change in the inflation-adjusted value of all goods expenditures by consumers. Consumer spending accounts for the majority of economic activity and Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures 0.3% vs 0.6%, the change in the price of goods and services from the perspective of the consumer.
Japan's industrial output rose for a second straight month in October, a sign of a gradual pickup in factory activity as a fall in exports levels off - a potentially optimistic omen for the economy's ability to recover from a recession."
Global markets
European shares rose slightly on Monday before a much anticipated European Central Bank policy meeting this week, while BHP Billiton was among the top losers after news Brazil could seek damages for a dam burst.
Asian shares fell on Monday as Chinese stocks extended last week's sharp losses, while the yuan bounced in volatile trade hours ahead of an IMF decision on whether to promote it to a basket of global reserve currencies.