Sensex closes marginally up, market breadth negative

Tuesday, 28 April 2009, 00:59 IST
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Mumbai:A key index of the Indian equities markets closed 42 points higher Monday marking an end to a see-saw day of trading. The market breadth, however, remained negative with 1,341 stocks declining, 1,158 advancing and 83 remaining unchanged. The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 11,237.42 points, rose 42.8 points or 0.38 percent from the previous close to end trade at 11,371.85 points. However, the S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) lost 0.31 percent to close at 3,470 points. Broader market indices also lost, with the BSE midcap index shifting downwards 0.44 percent and the BSE smallcap index slipping 1.01 percent. All the 13 sectoral indices on the BSE were in the positive terrain, with the indices for banking, capital goods and health care stocks gaining the most. Among gainers on the Sensex were ICICI Bank, up 8.2 percent at 467.95; Sterlite, up 4.39 percent at 415.30; Wipro, up 4.12 percent at 324.75; and TCS, up 3.58 percent at 603.45. Among the losing scrips were Ranbaxy Laboratories, down 4.61 percent at 167.65; Reliance Infra, down 3.9 percent at 710.65; Reliance Communications, down 3.75 percent at 223.55; and Hindustan Unilever, down 3 percent at 231. Other Asian markets were also trading volatile, with a key Japanese index - the Nikkei of the Tokyo Stock Exchange - recovering from a steep fall to close marginally in the green at 8,726.34 points, about 18.35 points higher than its previous close. However, the Hang Seng, a key index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, ended in the red at 14,840.42 points, 418.43 points below its previous close. European markets were ruling in the negative terrain, with the FTSE in Britain trading 32.51 points lower than its previous close, and its French peer CAC 40 ruling 46.65 points down. Data with the market watchdog, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), showed that foreign funds were net buyers, lapping up scrips worth $99.5 million.
Source: IANS