By IANS,
Mumbai : A benchmark index for Indian equities Tuesday closed 188 points higher than its last close, helped by buying in blue chip companies Infosys, ICICI Bank and RIL.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 16,042.18 points, shut shop at 16,226.68 points, up 188.33 points or 1.17 percent from its previous close.
At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty ended at 4,855.75 points, against the previous close at 4,801.95 points, a gain of 1.12 percent or 53.8 points.
Broader market indices also ended in the green, with the BSE midcap index ending 0.63 percent higher and the BSE smallcap index 0.54 percent up.
Metals, auto, IT and healthcare scrips rallied even as all 13 BSE sectoral indices ended among gains.
The market breadth was positive, with 1,560 stocks advancing, 1,242 on the decline and 79 remaining unchanged.
Among major gainers on the Sensex were ACC, up 4.27 percent at Rs.913.55; Hindalco, up 3.2 percent at Rs.145.25; Tata Motors, up 3.02 percent at Rs.703; and Hindustan Unilever, up 2.89 percent at Rs.237.05.
There were only three losers on the 30-scrip Sensex: Bharti Airtel, down 4.54 percent at Rs.272.45; HDFC Bank, down 0.42 percent at Rs.1,606.75; and Hero Honda, down 0.22 percent at Rs.1,696.65.
According to data available with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), foreign institutional investors were net buyers Tuesday, having bought scrips worth $46.91 million.
Other Asian markets too saw modest gains.
The benchmark Japanese index, Nikkei, closed 0.21 percent higher at 10,034.25 points on concerns of interest rate hikes by China and Greece’s debt woes. The South Korean Kospi too ended in the green, 0.46 percent higher at 1,601.05.
Chinese and Hong Kong exchanges were closed on account of the week-long Lunar New Year holiday.
Banking stocks helped European shares post gains.
At closing bell here, the FTSE 100, the benchmark index of the London Stock Exchange, was ruling 0.84 percent higher at 5,210.74 points, while its German peer DAX was trading at 5,556.6 points, up 0.83 percent.
The French CAC 40 index was up 0.56 percent at 3,629.27 points.