Mumbai, Jul 14 (IANS): A day after the three terror blasts in India's commercial capital, Indian equities markets closed on a flat note Thursday, giving up its intra-day gains as traders off-loaded stocks after the Met department said rainfall had been deficient in the country in the past week.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said monsoon rains were 19 percent below normal in the week ending July 13.

Speculative selling ahead of the quarterly results of software giant TCS also had an adverse impact on the bourses.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 18,563.69 points, closed at 18,618.2 points, up a mere 22 points or 0.12 percent from its previous close at 18,596.02 points.

It had risen to an intra-day high of 18,803.05 points, having brushed aside latest release of data which showed overall inflation was still on an uptrend, rising to 9.44 percent in June.

The 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange too followed a similar trajectory, ending on a flat note at 5,599.8 points, up 0.26 percent.

Broader markets closed lacklustre as well with the BSE midcap index closing 0.4 percent higher and BSE smallcap index ending 0.14 percent up.

The market breadth was positive with 1,590 stocks advancing, 1,219 on the decline and 156 remaining unchanged.

Realty, banking and metal stocks were among the top gainers, while IT stocks came under selling pressure.

Among gainers on the 30-scrip Sensex were: DLF, up 3.15 percent at Rs.234; Tata Motors, up 1.95 percent at Rs.1,063.95; Cipla, up 1.84 percent at Rs.329.20; and ICICI Bank, up 1.4 percent at Rs.1,068.90.

Losers included TCS, down 2.23 percent at Rs.1,125.25; Infosys, down 1.55 percent at Rs.2,740.95; RCom, down 1.42 percent at Rs.96.85; and Bajaj Auto, down 1.25 percent at Rs.1,430.95.

According to data available with the Securities and Exchange Board of India, foreign institutional investors bought stocks worth $33.73 million Thursday.

Asian markets were mixed.

The Nikkei of the Japanese stock exchange closed 0.27 percent lower at 9,936.12 points.

The Hang Seng of the Hong Kong stock exchange ended flat at 21,940.2 points, while the Chinese Shanghai composite index was closed 0.54 percent up at 2,810.44 points.

Among European bourses, Britain's FTSE 100 was ruling 0.98 percent down at 5,848.77 points, the French CAC 40 was ruling 1.21 percent lower at 3,747.35 points.

The German DAX was down 0.81 percent at 7,208.87 points.