Friday Closing bell: Sensex up 250 pts, Nifty ends at record closing high; telecom, banks lead


Equity benchmarks closed sharply higher for the second consecutive session as investors cheered macro data and hopes raised for an early resolution to telecom NPAs post telecom deals.

The 30-share BSE Sensex was up 250.47 points at 32,432.69 and the 50-share NSE Nifty rose 71.10 points to 10,167.50.

The market breadth was weak as about 1,431 shares declined against 1,293 advancing shares on the BSE.

Bharti Airtel was up 6 percent, Tata Teleservices up 9 percent and Tata Communications up 2 percent after Airtel decided to buy consumer telecom business of Tata Sons. Bharti Infratel was up 3 percent.

Markets also got a boost after data showed inflation held steady, instead of accelerating as expected, raising tentative hopes the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) would be less hawkish about interest rates.

Continue Reading


Sensex gains 222 points, Nifty ends at 9,979 as metal stocks rally


The benchmark indices ended higher on Friday with the Nifty50 settling above its crucial 9,950 mark, buoyed by a jump in Tata Steel on strong quarterly production numbers, while investors stayed cautious as Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council meeting went underway.

The Council is likely to give a major relief to exporters as well as small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Tata Steel, Sun Pharma, NTPC, SBI, HUL, Bajaj Finance, GAIL and Hindalco Industries lead the rally.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was strong. On the BSE, 1,703 shares rose and 963 shares fell. A total of 111 shares were unchanged.

Continue Reading


Sensex ends Friday nearly 450 pts lower, Nifty breaches 10,000; midcaps tank


Equity benchmark indices witnessed a carnage on Friday, with the Sensex ending nearly 450 points lower, while the Nifty breached 10,000-mark, falling over 150 points.

The benchmark indices fell over 1%, extending losses for the fourth straight session, while the rupee hit its weakest point since early April amid concerns that the government’s plan for a stimulus to halt an economic slowdown may have a negative impact on the fiscal deficit.

Global investor sentiment was also subdued after North Korea said it might test a hydrogen bomb in the Pacific Ocean and escalated a war of words with US President Donald Trump.

The Sensex closed down 447.60 points at 31922.44, while the Nifty ended lower by 157.50 points at 9964.40. The market breadth was negative as 524 shares advanced against a decline of 2,082 shares, while 144 shares were unchanged.

Continue Reading