Sensex closes 84 points up, FMCG and consumer durables gain

Mumbai : A benchmark index of Indian equities markets rebounded Tuesday gaining 84 points. Good buying was seen in fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), consumer durables and health care stocks.

The index had tanked over 200 points Monday.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 18,796.25 points, closed at 18,793.36 points, up 84.38 points or 0.45 percent than its previous day’s close at 18,708.98 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 18,885.84 points and a low of 18,722.05 points in intra-day trade. The BSE midcap index was down 31.42 points, while the smallcap index was lower by 23.31 points.

On the sectoral front, the BSE FMCG index was up 103.97 points followed by consumer durable, up 103.34 points, and the health care index, up 85.71 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was down 28.60 points or 0.50 percent and closed at 5,704.60 points.

The main gainers were L&T, up 2.06 percent at Rs.1,628.70; Infosys, up 1.85 percent at Rs.2,536.95; Sun Pharma, up 1.62 percent at Rs.720.40; Sterlite Inds, up 1.59 percent at Rs.102.30; Hindustan Unilever, up 1.46 percent at Rs.568.10; and Cipla, up 1.14 percent at Rs.371.50.

The major Sensex losers were Gail India, down 2.77 percent at Rs.381.05; Bharti Airtel, down 1.83 percent at Rs.265.20; Hindalco Inds, down 1.62 percent at Rs.118.65; BHEL, down 1.52 percent at Rs.250.25; and Tata Motors, down 0.95 percent at Rs.269.70.

Among other Asian markets, Japan’s Nikkei closed 1.06 percent down while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng ended trading 0.54 percent up. Shanghai’s composite index also closed 1.97 percent higher.

In Europe, France’s CAC climbed 0.17 percent, while Germany’s DAX dipped 0.34 percent. Britain’s FTSE 100 index fell 0.20 percent.

Photo : AFP