Sensex directionless; BHEL, Jindal Steel, SBI top sell list

Key benchmarks were consolidating around their previous closing values ahead of major economic events this week. Inflation for August and industrial output for July will be announced this week, which are key events before the RBI policy that scheduled for September 17.

The 30-share BSE Sensex rose 1.13 points to 17,750.78 while the 50-share NSE Nifty fell 2.5 points to 5,356.25.

Country's largest lenders State Bank of India and ICICI Bank were down 1.66% and 1.3%, respectively.

Shares of Jindal Steel and state-run power equipment manufacturer BHEL topped the selling list with 2% losses.

Index heavyweight Reliance Industries and top software services exporter TCS fell 0.7% and 0.4%, respectively.

Housing finance company HDFC and aluminium major Hindalco Industries gained more than 1%.

World's sixth largest steel producer Tata Steel and country's largest coal mining company Coal Index were up 1.7% each.

Engineering conglomerate Larsen & Toubro and commercial vehicle major Tata Motors rose 0.5% each. Telecom operator Bharti Airtel and drug producer Sun Pharma rallied more than 2%.

European shares edged lower in morning trading on Monday ahead of a week of decisive political events in Europe and the Federal Reserve’s key meeting this week. (With inputs from CNBC.com).