By IANS,
Mumbai : A benchmark index for Indian equities Wednesday reversed a three-day losing run to close 99 points higher than its previous close, helped by positive cues from global peers.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,873.92 points, closed at 17,977.23 points, 99.04 points or 0.55 percent up from its previous close at 17,878.14 points.
At the National Stock Exchange (NSE),the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty ended at 5,399.35 points, up 0.58 percent from its previous close at 5,368 points.
Broader markets indices also shut shop in the green, with the BSE midcap index closing 0.49 percent up and the BSE smallcap index ending 0.36 percent higher.
Metals stocks outshone, while realty and auto stocks saw some buying. Healthcare scrips came under selling.
The market breadth was positive, with 1,550 scrips advancing, compared to 1,349 stocks declining, and 126 remaining unchanged.
Among the gainers on the Sensex were Sterlite Industries, up 4.33 percent at Rs.173.30; Tata Steel, up 4.01 percent at Rs.529.95; Jindal Steel, up 2.51 percent at Rs.636.05; and M&M, up 2.47 percent at Rs.616.90.
Prominent losers included HDFC, down 1.41 percent at Rs.2,970.40; Bharti Airtel, down 0.67 percent at Rs.295; Cipla, down 0.55 percent at Rs.325.20; and HDFC Bank, down 0.54 percent at Rs.2,033.55.
Other major Asian markets also saw moderate gains, tracking Tuesday’s rally in the US markets.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was up 1.1 percent at 20,487.23 points, with pessimism over a drop in China’s economic growth waning.
The Chinese Shanghai Composite index was also up 0.26 percent at 2,535.39 points, while the South Korean Kospi ended with a 0.69 percent gain at 1,748.78 points.
The Japanese Nikkei ended marginally in the red at 9,296.46 points.
The European markets were on the rise in anticipation of positive news coming from the banking “stress test” results due Friday.
The FTSE was trading 1.64 percent higher at 5,223.96 points, while the French CAC 40 was ruling 1.5 percent up at 3,520.1 points.
The German DAX was ruling 1.09 percent up at 6,032.35 points.