By IANS,
Mumbai : A benchmark index for Indian equities Friday closed 46 points up in volatile but range-bound trading, with IT firm TCS leading the gainers pack after it announced better than expected results.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,911.13 points, ended at 17,955.82 points, 46.36 points or 0.26 percent up from its previous close at 17,909.46 points.
The TCS scrip closed 6.16 percent higher at Rs.832.40 following the company’s announcement Thursday that net profit had increased 24 percent to Rs.1,906 crore for the quarter ended June 30.
At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty also ended on a subdued note at 5,393.9 points, up 0.28 percent from its previous close at 5,378.75 points.
Broader markets indices closed relatively higher, with the BSE midcap index ending 0.44 percent up and the BSE smallcap index 0.66 percent higher.
IT, telecom and banking stocks were among the major gainers, while energy and metal scrips saw some selling.
The market breadth was positive, with 1,604 scrips advancing, compared to 1,310 stocks declining, and 126 remaining unchanged.
Among the gainers on the Sensex were TCS, up 6.16 percent at Rs.832.40; Tata Motors, up 2.65 percent at Rs.831.60; ICICI Bank, up 2.32 percent at Rs.902.45; and Reliance Communications, up 1.93 percent at Rs.187.10.
Prominent losers included M&M, down 2.06 percent at Rs.604.10; HDFC Bank, down 1.24 percent at Rs.2,038.70; RIL, down 0.93 percent at Rs.1,062.95; and HDFC, down 0.86 percent at Rs.3,020.70.
Other major Asian markets too were hit by selling pressure.
The Japanese Nikkei ended 2.86 percent lower at 9,408.36 points towards closing bell with traders booking profits.
The South Korean Kospi ended 0.73 percent down at 1,738.45 points.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng ended tame as profit booking kicked in. The Chinese Shanghai Composite index, which rebounded from early losses also closed flat.
European bourses were in the green enthused by news from oil major BP, which said Friday that it has been able to shut off the mouth of a leaking oil well in the Gulf of Mexico.
Traders welcomed the news which pushed a key UK index, the FTSE 100 up 0.91 percent at 5,258.74 points at the time of closing bell here.
The French CAC 40 was trading 0.4 percent up at 3,596.2 points, while its German peer the DAX was ruling 0.55 percent higher at 6,182.95 points.