According to BSE brokers, the outstanding positions on the BSE were quite low as investors, operators and speculators were reluctant to build positions over the week.

Moderate badla rates show that few brokers opted to carry forward their positions, preferring to square up their positions instead. "There is a huge uncertainty in the market these days and investors are disinclined to build positions on the bourses. The week ended August 28 saw a lot of upheaval in the markets with the Sensex oscillating like a pendulum," said BSE broker Ajai Doshi.

"As a chain reaction to the drop in world markets, the political uncertainty on the domestic front and the depreciating currency, the markets are in a real bad shape. Talks of share buyback, the incentives being given to foreign institutional investors (FIIs) and disinvestment will not help the markets. The only way stability might come back is when the economy as a whole starts to improve. Until then, the behaviour of markets is anybody's guess," said a dealer at a leading foreign brokerage.

Some of the scrips that attracted undha badla or backwardation charges included ABB, Asian Hotels, Asian Paints, Atlas Copco, Bajaj Auto, Bharat Forge, Britannia Industries, Carrier Aircon, East India Hotels, IFCI, ITC, Thermax and Videocon International. "The carryforward rates are no longer an indication of the state of the markets next week," said a BSE broker.