Sensex closes 135 points up, seventh straight weekly gain (Roundup)
February 17th, 2012 - 7:11 pm ICT by IANS
Mumbai, Feb 17 (IANS) A benchmark index at Indian equities markets Friday closed 135 points up, its seventh consecutive week of gains. Robust foreign fund inflows helped markets rise with consumer durables and power stocks leading the gainers pack.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) opened at 18,331.2 points, closed at 18,289.35 points, 135.36 points or 0.75 percent up from its previous close at 18,153.99 points.
The 50-scrip S&P; CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange also closed higher at 5,564.3 points, up 42.35 points or 0.77 percent from its previous close.
Overseas funds, which have been the main catalyst for the dramatic rise in Indian equities in 2012, continued with their buying spree.
According to data available with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bought a whopping $444.05 billion Friday.
FIIs have put in $4.85 billion since the start of the year, having bought equities worth $2.03 billion in January and $2.81 billion till Friday during February.
Broader markets also closed in the green, with the BSE 500 index ending 0.64 percent up. The BSE midcap index closed flat while the BSE smallcap index slipped 0.21 percent.
The market breadth was, however, negative with 1,394 stocks advancing, 1,583 on the decline and 119 unchanged.
Prominent gainers on the 30-scrip Sensex included BHEL, up 6.53 percent at Rs.303.45; Tata Power, up 4.68 percent at Rs.118.65; SBI, up 2.88 percent at Rs.2,416.75 and Wipro, up 2.43 percent at Rs.449.20.
Major losers included Hero MotoCorp, down 3.61 percent at Rs.2,109.70; Maruti Suzuki, down 2.74 percent at Rs.1,320; Hindalco, down 2.3 percent at Rs.151.10 and GAIL, down 1.21 percent at Rs.380.75.
Asian markets rose on signs that eurozone officials will soon approve a long-awaited bailout for Greece, reducing the risk of a debt default. Positive jobs and manufacturing data, a sign of healthiness in the US economy also enthused investors.
The Japanese Nikkei rose 1.58 percent to close at 9,384.17 points, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng moved up 1.01 percent at 21,491.62 points.
The Chinese Shanghai Composite index closed flat at 2,357.18 points.
European markets were ruling in the green.
Britain’s FTSE 100 was up 0.32 percent at 5,904.18 points. The German DAX was trading 0.83 percent higher at 6,807.95 points.
The French CAC 40 was trading 0.92 percent up at 3,424.4 points.
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- Sensex rises 285 points, snaps four-day fall (Roundup) - Feb 28, 2012
- Sensex at seven-month high, closes 139 points higher (Roundup) - Feb 21, 2012
- Sensex zooms 123 points up, FII interest intact (Roundup) - Feb 09, 2012
- Sensex closes quiet as GDP numbers disappoint (Roundup) - Feb 29, 2012
- Sensex edges up but ends lower for second consecutive week (Roundup) - Mar 02, 2012
- Sensex rallies past 18,000, closes 353 points up (Roundup) - Feb 15, 2012
- Sensex closes 85 points up, Bharti drags (Roundup) - Feb 08, 2012
- Sensex continues 5-week rally, closes 102 points higher (Roundup) - Feb 06, 2012
- Sensex closes 82 points lower as industrial output slows (Roundup) - Feb 10, 2012
- Sensex closes 283 points lower on profit booking (Roundup) - Feb 22, 2012
- Sensex up 75 points, investors take a breather (Roundup) - Feb 14, 2012
- Sensex rises 192 points to a near six-week high (Roundup) - Jan 19, 2012
- Sensex slips 477 points on high crude prices, profit booking (Roundup) - Feb 27, 2012
- Sensex closes flat on reforms worries (Roundup) - Mar 07, 2012
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