Sensex ends 120 points up, ICICI gains


Sensex ends 120 points up, ICICI gains
Mumbai: A benchmark index for Indian equities Friday ended 130 points higher than its previous close with gains for stocks from the banking and capital goods space. The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,533.88 points, closed at 17,694.2 points, 120.21 points or 0.68 percent higher than its previous close at 17,573.99 points. The chart showing the 52 week performance of Sensex is on the left. This was the fourth straight day of gain for the Sensex. At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was ruling at 5,304.1 points, a gain of 0.66 percent from its previous close at 5,269.35 points. Broader market indices closed with modest gains but the market breadth was tilted towards the negative. Banking, capital goods and realty scrips saw buying, while metal stocks came under selling pressure. Top gainers on the 30-scrip Sensex were ICICI Bank, up 3.37 percent at 975.75; Jaiprakash Associates, up 2.95 percent at 157.15; L&T, up 2.87 percent at 1,617.85; and M&M, up 2.4 percent at 520.55. Major losers included ACC, down 1.8 percent at 902.55; Bharti Airtel, down 1.65 percent at 297.70; Sun Pharma, down 1.53 percent at 1,684.60; and Wipro, down 1.42 percent at 692.95. Most other Asian markets, however, witnessed losses. While the Japanese Nikkei shut shop with a 0.32 percent loss at 10,914.46 points, the South Korean Kospi ended trade marginally lower at 1,737.03 points, down 0.14 percent. The Chinese Shanghai composite index too was down 0.53 percent at 2,983.54 points, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.98 percent lower at 21,244.49 points. European markets were in the green at the time of closing bell here. The FTSE 100, the benchmark index of the London Stock Exchange, was ruling at 5,709.41 points, up 0.78 percent, while its German peer, DAX, was trading 1.3 percent higher at 6,248.70 points. The French CAC 40 index was also in the green at 3,949.36 points, up 0.63 percent.
Source: IANS