Mumbai, Nov 1 (IANS): Despite firm global cues and a slight recovery in the domestic currency, the key equity indices traded flat during the afternoon session of trade on Thursday as investors remained cautious ahead of key macro economic data release and tension between the RBI and government.

Export-oriented stocks, IT and healthcare struggled as the rupee recovered to around 73.79 a US dollar from Wednesday's close of 73.95. Healthy buying was witnessed in banking, finance and capital goods counters on BSE.

At 12.46 p.m., the S&P BSE Sensex traded at 34,423, down 19.05 points or 0.06 per cent. It opened at 34,650.63 from its previous close of 34,442.05.

It touched an intra-day high of 34,679.93 points and a low of 34,303.38 points.

The NSE Nifty50 traded at 10,375.45 points during the afternoon trade session, down 11.15 points or 0.11 per cent.

Larsen and Tubro (L&T) gained a healthy 4.18 per cent, at Rs 1,352.60 a share, after the engineering and construction conglomerate on Wednesday posted a 23 per cent jump in net profit for the second quarter ending in September.

Adani Ports on the other hand was down 1.15 per cent at Rs 317.95 a share. On Wednesday it reported a 22.09 per cent increase in its consolidated net profit.