Markets bounce back, end on a high note

Mumbai, June 19 (IANS) Indian equities markets bounced back at close Friday with a key index moving in the green to end near the day’s highs. It had dipped into the red about 30 minutes of the closing bell.
The benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the Sensex, which opened at 14,321.98 points, ended trade at 14,521.89 points - 256.36 points or 1.8 percent higher than Thursday’s close.

Similarly, the S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) shut shop 1.46 percent up at 4,313.6 points.

Broader market indices too climbed with the BSE midcap index rising 1.68 percent, while the BSE smallcap index moved up 0.82 percent.

All the 13 sectoral indices on the BSE ended in the green, with those for capital goods, realty, metal and IT stocks leading the comeback.

The market breadth was, however, mixed - 1,345 stocks advancing compared to 1,293 declining, while 66 scrips remained unchanged.

Of the 30 scrips composing the Sensex, 24 ended on the gaining side. Prominent among them were Tata Steel, up 5.85 percent at Rs.411.75; L&T, up 5.71 percent at Rs.1,496.10; Tata Motors, up 5.08 percent at Rs.345.30; and Reliance Infra, up 5.08 percent at Rs.1,262.25.

Of the losers on the Sensex were NTPC, down 2.2 percent at Rs.198.10; Tata Power, down 1.06 percent at Rs.1,164.35; ACC, down 1.02 percent at Rs.750.65; and M&M, down 0.55 percent at Rs.737.30.

Though trading volume dipped from Thursday’s levels, it crossed the Rs.1 lakh crore mark again to stand at Rs.104,153.24 crore. This included Rs.18,614.30 crore from the NSE cash segment, Rs.79,597.86 crore from NSE futures and options, while the balance Rs.5,941.08 crore was made up by the BSE cash sement.

Data with the market watchdog Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) showed that foreign funds had sold shares worth $107.3 million Friday.

Other Asian markets also rose, with a key index of the Tokyo stock exchange, Nikkei 225 Stock Average, ending the week at 9,786.26 points, 82.54 points higher than its previous close.

The Hang Seng, a primary index of the Hong Kong stock exchange, also ended up, rising 144.27 points to shut shop at 17,920.93 points.

European markets, which opened on a firm note, were trading in the green around this time, with the FTSE, a key British index, rising 77.62 points to 4,358.48 while its French peer, CAC 40, was ruling 37.4 points up at 3,231.46 points.

The US markets were expected to gain, as key index futures rose on early indications that stocks were poised to rise.

Futures on the Dow Jones, Standard and Poor’s 500 and technology heavy Nasdaq too rose all 0.4 percent. link...