Mumbai, Jan 11 (Inditop.com) Medium to small-sized scrips were doing better than frontline stocks at the Indian equities markets Monday with a key index ruling flat in the afternoon.

The sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) opened at 17,724.59 points and was ruling at 17,564.42 points a little before noon, up 24.13 points or 0.14 percent from its previous close at 17,540.29 points.

Around the same time, at the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was at 5,260.95 points, against the previous close at 5,244.75 points, a gain of 0.31 percent.

Broader market indices were doing relatively better, with the BSE midcap index up 1.08 percent and the BSE small cap index ruling 1.95 percent higher.

The market breadth was positive, with as many as 2,179 stocks advancing, compared to 718 on the decline, and 57 remaining unchanged.

Among the major gainers at this time were DLF, up 2.93 percent at Rs.401.65; Jaiprakash Associates, up 2.32 percent at Rs.165.30; Hero Honda, up 1.89 percent at Rs.1,678.10; and Maurti Suzuki, up 1.67 percent at Rs.1,456.75.

Top losers included BHEL, down 1.14 percent at Rs.2,395.60; RIL, down 1 percent at Rs.1,090.90; Wipro, down 0.61 percent at Rs.665; and Tata Motors, down 0.27 percent at Rs.787.

Other Asian markets were a mixed bag, with a benchmark index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange being 0.51 percent up at 22,411.52 points, and the Chinese Shanghai composite index ruling 0.52 percent higher at 3,212.75 points.

However, the Korean Kospi was trading slightly lower at 1,694.12, down 0.07 percent.

Japanese markets were closed, while European markets were ruling strong after a firm opening.