Sensex up 60 points; auto, metal stocks rally

Mumbai  :  A benchmark index for Indian equities markets was trading higher by 60 points in late afternoon session Wednesday after healthy buying in auto, metal and oil and gas stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,429.91 points, was ruling at 19,425.21 points around 1.20 p.m., up by 60.46 points or 0.31 percent from its previous close at 19,364.75 points.

The BSE Sensex touched a high of 19,516.02 points and low of 19,425.21 points intra-day. The BSE midcap index was down 37.71 points, while the smallcap index edged higher by 38.18 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was up 19.20 points or 0.33 percent at 5,916.00 points.

The BSE auto index was up 186.63 points. The metal index was trading higher by 138.17 points, oil and gas index up 83.59 points, healthcare index up 74.28 points followed by public sector undertakings (PSU) index, up 54.26 points.

However, the capital goods index was down by 86.13 points, the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) index was lower by 19.70 points and the power index decreased by 4.11 points.

Among other Asian markets, Japan’s Nikkei was up 2.39 percent and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was higher by 0.52 percent. China’s Shanghai Composite Index was marginally down 0.01 percent.

Photo  : AFP