Mid-cap, Small-cap indexes outperform the BSE benchmark index.

Following the early morning gap-down, the markets have more or less exhibited lacklustre movement with a negative bias. The Sensex has touched a low of 17,733, and is now down 105 points at 17,771.

The BSE Mid-cap and the Small-cap indexes are marginally into green around 7,071 and 8,970, respectively.

The NSE Nifty is down 27 points at 5,326.

The BSE Metal index has plunged 1.8% to 15,309, and the IT index has slipped over 1% to 5,379. The BSE FMCG index, however, has moved up 0.7% to 3,185.

Sterlite has shed 2.7% at Rs 179. Jindal Steel, Hindalco and Jaiprakash Associates have declined around 2% eaach to Rs 671, Rs 150 and Rs 131, respectively.

Wipro, Larsen & Toubro, Tata Steel, TCS and BHEL are the other major losers.

FMGC majors - ITC and Hindustan Unilever however have bucked the trend and are up 1% each at Rs 302 and Rs 262, respectively.

Among the Mid-cap space, Sterlite Tech, Emami, Gee Kay Finance, Sadhbhav Engginering, Cox and Kings and South Indian Bank are the major gainers.

Vikas WSP and Hindustan Motors are the top gainers in the Small-cap space. OCL Iron, Dhanlakshmi Bank, Tilkanagar Industries, Alod Industries, Supreme Infra and MBL Infra are the prominent gainers.