Prataap Snacks gains for third day while GATI gathers some momentum - Things that kept dealers busy

Shares of Prataap Snacks ended 5 percent higher on Wednesday, registering its biggest single-day jump in five months. The stock also gained for the third straight day.

Sources within the dealing rooms indicate that a large block deal is likely to take place in the stock where a leading private equity player is likely to be the seller.

As per the latest shareholding pattern, Faering Capital India and Malabar India fund held 2 percent stake each in the company.

Benchmark indices ended flat in a listless trading session after a two-day surge. Flows are muted at the institutional desk, according to dealers ahead of the new year holidays while domestic institutions were selective buyers.

Banks and select auto names were outperformers in today's trading session and dealers believe that there was buying by domestic funds in these names today. Stocks like Maruti and Mahindra & Mahindra ended among the top gainers on the Nifty 50 index.

Fusion Micro Finance: Shares of the recent listing gained for the second day in a row, ending with gains of close to 4 percent. The stock had declined for seven straight sessions ahead of the two-day surge on Tuesday and in today's session. Dealers indicate that a leading domestic mutual fund is an active buyer in the stock while a leading foreign investor is an active seller.

GATI: Shares of the logistics player ended 7 percent higher on Wednesday, registering its biggest single-day jump in four months. The stock had declined for five days in a row before arresting the slide on Tuesday. Dealing rooms indicate that the stock has witnessed buying interest from high net worth (HNI) investors and also due to a clean out trade from its earlier promoter entity.