Mumbai, Jan 4 (IANS) Indian markets started the first day of the new trading year on a strong note Monday, with a key index ending 93 points up though heavyweights Reliance Industries and Bharti Airtel ended up losers of the day.
The sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,473.45 points, ended at 17,558.73 points, up 93.92 points or 0.54 percent from its previous close at 17,464.81 points.

It had risen to 17,582.84 points during the closing hour.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty closed at 5,232.2 points against the previous close at 5,201.05 points, a gain of 0.6 percent.

Broader market indices did relatively better, with the BSE midcap index ending 1.48 percent up and the BSE small cap index closing 1.6 percent higher.

The market breadth was positive, with 2,132 stocks advancing, 746 declining and 70 remaining unchanged.

Among major gainers were ACC, up 4.87 percent at Rs.913.95; Jaiprakash Associates, up 4.7 percent at Rs.153.80; Mahindra and Mahindra, up 4.52 percent at Rs.1,129.60; and Tata Motors, up 4.39 percent at Rs.827.40.

Top losers included NTPC, down 1.65 percent at Rs.231.80; Reliance Industries, down 1.29 percent at Rs.1,075.35; Bharti Airtel, down 1.16 percent at Rs.32;5 and Maruti Suzuki, down 0.57 percent at Rs.1,550.75.

According to data with the markets regulator, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), foreign institutional investors were net buyers, having bought scrips worth $178.67 million.

Volumes were, however, low with the total traded turnover standing at Rs.64,076 crore.

Other Asian markets were a mixed bag.

A key Japanese index, the Nikkei, Monday closed 1.03 percent or 108.35 points down at 10,654.79 points.

The Kospi, the benchmark index of the Korean Stock Exchange, ended 0.79 percent up at 1,696.14 points.

In China, the Shanghai composite index shut shop 1.02 percent lower at 3,243.76 points.

The Hang Seng, a benchmark index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, closed lower at 21,823.28 points, 0.23 percent lower.

Key European markets were ruling firm with the FTSE 100 index, benchmark index of the London Stock Exchange, ruling 0.67 percent up at 5,449.18 points.

The French index, CAC 40, too was ruling on strong ground at 3,977.45 points, up 1.04 percent, while its German peer the DAX was 0.74 percent up at 6,001.4.