Some brisk buying in industry heavyweights such as Infosys, HDFC, ICICI Bank, Hindustan Unilever (HUL), and Bharti Airtel helped benchmark indices settle with decent gains on Friday. Additionally, positive global cues, too, boosted investor sentiment.
The S&P BSE Sensex added 247 points or 0.65 per cent to end at 38,127.08 levels, with Infosys (up 4 per cent) being the top gainer and YES Bank (down over 3 per cent) the biggest loser. During the session, the index hit a high and low of 38,345.41 and 37,737.85, respectively.
In the broader market, the S&P BSE MidCap index ended at 13,780.99 levels, up 33 points or 0.24 per cent and the S&P BSE SmallCap gained 49 points or 0.38 per cent to close at 12,772.07.
On the NSE, the headline index Nifty50 ended at 11,301.25 levels, up 67 points or 0.59 per cent.
Sectorally, barring media and private bank, all the indices on the NSE ended in the green. The Nifty Metal index ended at 2,335.20 levels, up 2.27 per cent.
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The benchmark indices pared their day’s gains to end flat on Friday.
The S&P BSE Sensex ended at 36,542, down 7 points. The index had hit a fresh all-time high of 36,740.07 in intra-day deals earlier today tracking global markets ahead of information technology (IT) heavyweight Infosys June quarter earnings later in the day. The broader Nifty50 index settled at 11,019, down 4 points.
Among sectoral indices, the Nifty PSU Bank index fell over 2% weighed by a decline in Canara Bank and Indian Bank.
Shares of smallcap companies were under pressure with the S&P BSE Smallcap index falling more than 1% after a sharp decline in stock prices of PVR, KNR Constructions, Inox Leisure and Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals (GNFC).
Idea Cellular share price fell 2.7 per cent intraday on Friday after global research firm Credit Suisse maintained its Underperform rating on the stock with a target price at Rs 45, implying a 17 per cent downside. After the merger between the company and Vodafone, the new entity may prioritise cost savings over market share retention and the cost base should be close to current Bharti mobile cost base, the research house said.
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Equity benchmarks ended the last day of the year on a strong note as the Sensex was up 208.80 points at 34,056.83 and the Nifty rallied 52.80 points to 10,530.70. For the year, both the indices added nearly 28%.
About 1,566 shares advanced against 1,204 declining shares on the BSE.
Shares of Infibeam Incorporation turned volatile trading 12% lower at Rs 144.80 on Friday at 02:12 PM; on back of heavy volumes. The stock of internet software & services recovered 47% from its early morning low of Rs 98.80 on the BSE. It was closed at Rs 165 on Thursday.
Shares of Jaiprakash Associates (JP) Group stocks Jaiprakash Associates, Jaiprakash Power Ventures and Jaypee Infratech rallied by upto 20% in intra-day trade on the BSE, extending their gains for the past three days on back of positive media reports.
Jaiprakash Power Ventures has surged 20% to Rs 9.52, also its 52-week high on the BSE in intra-day trade today on back of heavy volumes. The stock rallied 37% in past four trading sessions after the media report suggested that lenders scout for new owner for JP Group arm Prayagraj Power.
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Benchmark indices rose on Friday and gaining for a third straight week after much weaker-than-expected economic growth data raised hopes the central bank would cut interest rates at its next policy meeting in October.
India’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth slid to a three-year low of 5.7% in the quarter ended June, a marked slowdown from a 6.1% growth in the previous quarter.
However, India’s factory activity unexpectedly expanded in August, snapping back from a contraction the previous month, as disruptions stemming from confusion over GST eased.
Broader markets outperformed the benchmark indices with BSE Midcap and BSE Smallcap up 0.9% and 0.8% respectively.
Shares of Gravita India touched 52-week high of Rs 134.65, rising 11% intraday on the back of strong Q1 numbers.
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