By IANS,
Mumbai : A benchmark index for Indian equities Friday ended 95 points higher than its previous close in volatile trade, while reports of a slower-than-estimated American job growth and worsening European debt crisis stoked fresh concern about world economic recovery.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,036.55 points, shut shop at 17,117.69 points, 95.36 points or 0.56 percent up from its previous close at 17,022.33 points.
At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty ended at 5,135.5 points, up 0.49 percent from its previous close at 5,110.5 points.
Broader markets indices closed on a flat note, with the BSE midcap index ending 0.21 percent higher and the BSE smallcap index 0.15 percent.
The major gainers were Maruti Suzuki, up 2.64 percent at Rs.1,331.05; SBI, up 2.42 percent at Rs.2,341.80, Reliance Communications, up 2.25 percent at Rs.168.15, and ITC, up 2.07 percent at Rs.290.75.
Prominent losers included ONGC, down 1.73 percent at Rs.1,189.80, HDFC down 0.96 percent at Rs.1,887.70, Tata Power, down 0.61 percent at Rs.1,239.20, and BHEL, down 0.5 percent at Rs.2,331.25.
Data with the markets watchdog showed foreign institutional investors turned buyers Friday, lapping up scrips worth 106.03 million.
In Asia, the Japanese Nikkei ended flat at 9,901.19 points, down 0.13 percent, while the Kospi closed 1,664.13 points, up a meagre 0.14 percent.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was up 0.07 percent at 19,800.84 points, while the Shanghai composite index ended flat at 2,553.59 points.
European markets opened reasonably firm, but slipped after Hungary’s central bank said that the country’s economy was vulnerable owing to the high-debt levels. Traders stepped on the selling pedal as insecurity crept in.
The FTSE 100, a key index in UK was down 1.73 percent at 5,121.1 points, while its German peer DAX was ruling 1.79 percent lower at 5,946.50 points.
The French CAC 40 too gave its intra-day gains and was ruling 2.25 percent lower at 3,477.23 points.