By IANS,
Mumbai : Indian equities were in positive terrain a little before noon Thursday, with a key index hovering around the psychologically important 9,000-mark.
The 30-scrip Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) sensitive index (Sensex), which opened at 9,034.9 points, was at 9,059.66 points, 44.88 points or 0.49 percent up from its previous close.
At the same time, the S&P CNX Nifty index of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was at 2,796.85 points, 0.75 percent higher than its previous close at 2,776.15.
The BSE midcap index was 0.73 percent higher, while the BSE smallcap index was up 0.58 percent.
Of the 13 sectoral indices on the BSE, only the FMCG index was in negative territory.
Among gainers on the Sensex at this time were Mahindra and Mahindra (up 3.67 percent at Rs.295), Grasim (up 3.56 percent at Rs.1,389), Wipro (up 3.55 percent at Rs.216.50) and Maruti Suzuki (up 2.22 percent at Rs.631).
The four losing scrips on the Sensex included Hindustan Unilever (down 1.46 percent at Rs.250.05), Larsen and Toubro (down 0.54 percent at Rs.650.50), Infosys (down 0.31 percent at Rs.1,175.05) and Bharti Airtel (down 0.16 percent at Rs.640.20).
In other Asian markets, a key Japanese index, the Nikkei of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, was ruling at 7,571.94 points, 0.5 percent higher than its previous close.
The Hang Seng, a key index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, was ruling 0.41 percent below its last close.
In the US, the broader Standard and Poor’s 500 Index was around its previous close slipping a marginal 0.75 points, or 0.1 percent, to close at 788.42 points. The technology-heavy Nasdaq composite index also was down closing at 1,467.97, down 2.69 points, or 0.18 percent.
In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of Britain closed 0.68 percent down, at 4,006.83, while Germany’s DAX shed 11.64 points, or 0.28 percent to end trade at 4,204.96.
The CAC-40 index of France fell 0.04 percent, to 2,874.07 points.