By IANS,
Mumbai : A benchmark index for Indian equities markets ended marginally higher amid a volatile session Wednesday as gains in realty, auto and energy scrips offset losses in IT and FMCG stocks.
The 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened in the positive at 18,522.80 points, slipped in the late morning session.
The benchmark Sensex moved back in the positive terrain in the afternoon and ended the day at 18,469.95 points, up 0.16 percent or 30.30 points from the previous close of 18,439.65.
The 30-share index touched a high of 18,583.30 points and low of 18,303.80 points in the intraday trade.
At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty also closed in the positive after slipping in the red in the afternoon session. The Nifty closed 0.18 percent or 10.20 points higher at 5,531 points.
Analysts said the markets had already discounted the political developments, where a significant announcement was made after the closing bell Tuesday.
The Congress party and its southern ally the DMK said they had reached a seat-sharing pact for the Tamil Nadu assembly polls next month after a three-day drama, which had triggered a major crisis for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government.
Of the broader market indices, the BSE midcap advanced 0.65 percent at 6,604.72 points and the smallcap index closed 0.82 percent higher at 8,009.65 points.
Reliance Communication surged 9.36 percent at Rs.99.30.
Other major gainers on the Sensex were: Reliance Infra, up 2.37 percent at Rs.620.50; Bajaj Auto, up 2.27 percent at Rs.1,418.20; DLF, up 1.33 percent at Rs.225.30; and ICICI Bank, up 1.24 percent at Rs.1,033.55.
Major Sensex losers were: Cipla, down 1.74 percent at Rs.302.15; Sterlite Inds, down 1.19 percent at Rs.166.55; NTPC, down 1.03 percent at Rs.178.05; Jindal Steel, down 0.69 percent at Rs.666.75; and Hindustan Unilever, down 0.66 percent at Rs.279.60.
Other Asian markets also closed in the green as crude oil prices moderated further.
The Japanese Nikkei advanced 0.61 percent at 10,589.50. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng closed 0.42 percent higher at 23,810.10 points and China’s Shanghai Composite index ended almost flat at 3,002.15 points.
European markets were mixed. Around mid-day, the French CAC 40 was trading 0.39 percent higher at 4,031.40 points and the German DAX was ruling 0.53 percent up at 7,202.78 points.
However, Britain’s FTSE 100 was down 0.13 percent at 5,967.06 points.