By IANS,
Mumbai : A benchmark index for Indian equities markets Tuesday nudged up 71 points on a rather volatile trading day, a day after stocks rallied smartly. Broader markets too were subdued, although gains were seen in specific companies.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 18,260.08 points, closed at 18,273.8 points, up 71.6 points or 0.39 percent from its previous close at 18,202.2 points.
This is the third successive day of gains for the barometer index.
It had slipped to a low of 18,050.48 points in the morning and rose to a high of 18,361.66 points later in the day.
The 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange shut shop 0.46 percent up at 5,481 points.
Broader markets ended mixed, with the BSE midcap index closing 0.07 percent lower and the BSE smallcap index ending 0.59 percent up.
Selling was seen in capital goods, realty, IT and healthcare stocks, while energy and banking scrips generated some buying interest.
The market breadth was positive, with 1,551 stocks advancing compared to 1,276 scrips on the decline. A total of 157 stocks remained unchanged.
Among gainers on the 30-scrip Sensex were: Reliance Communications, up 4.16 percent at Rs.101.45; RIL, up 2.9 percent at Rs.941.75; Tata Motors, up 2.41 percent at Rs.1,237.85; and Bajaj Auto, up 2.16 percent at Rs.1,322.75.
Losers on the bencmark index included Jaiprakash Associates, down 3.04 percent at Rs.84.65; Hindalco Industries, down 2.96 percent at Rs.212.90; DLF, down 2.8 percent at Rs.239.70; and BHEL, down 2.45 percent at Rs.2,077.80.
According to data available with market regulator SEBI, foreign institutional investors bought scrips worth $50.1 million Tuesday.
Other Asian markets were a mixed bag, with traders on the lookout for fresh signals on the global economic recovery front, having rallied Monday on the news that fresh economic data coming from China showed inflation lower than expected.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng shed 0.96 percent to close at 22,899.78 points, while a benchmark of Chinese markets, Shanghai Composite index, ended flat at 2,899.24 points.
The Japanese Nikkei nudged up 0.2 percent to shut shop at 10,746.67 points.
European markets, were trading on a sombre note, although gains were seen by certain stocks like those from the banking space. Investors, however, were still waiting on the sidelines awaiting release of a slew of economic data.
Around mid-day, the French CAC 40 was trading 0.42 percent up at 4,113.91 points, while the UK’s FTSE was ruling similarly subdued, up 0.05 percent 6,062.83 points.
The German DAX was ruling 0.22 percent up at 7,413.03 points.