Shares in India were nearly flat, trading around 81,661 in early deals on Wednesday after gaining in the previous four sessions, as gains in tech and real estate stocks were offset by losses in the pharmaceutical, healthcare, and banking sectors. Traders remained cautious ahead of the release of the US Federal Reserve’s meeting minutes later today and Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s speech at Jackson Hole on Friday, as markets seek clues about the interest rate decision at the Fed’s September meeting. Sentiment was also influenced by China = India’s top trading partner - holding its key interest rate steady. Meanwhile, optimism around the government’s GST reforms provided some support, helping to counter a downbeat session on Wall Street overnight, which was dragged down by a tech selloff. Among notable gainers, Infosys rose 2.4%, while NTPC and Bharti Airtel gained 1.3% each. On the downside, Bajaj Finance, Tata Motors, and Bajaj Finserv declined by 1.1%, 1.0%, and 0.7%, respectively.