Sensex holding on to gains in noon trade

MUMBAI - A benchmark index of Indian equities market managed to hold on to most of its early gains in noon trade Monday amid mixed cues from other Asian markets.

The 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,713.84 points, was ruling at 19,783.16 points, up 161.68 points or 0.83 percent from its previous close of 19,585.44 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was trading at 5,939.3 points, up 0.83 percent.

Broader markets indices were in the green too, with the BSE midcap index ruling 0.28 percent up and the BSE smallcap index moving up 0.6 percent.

A majority of the sectoral indices were in the positive. Telecom and IT stocks were among the major gainers, while some healthcare stocks were trading weak.

Among leading gainers were Jaiprakash Associates, Wipro, Bharti Airtel and Infosys, while major losers included Sterlite Industries, M&M, NTPC and Hero Honda.

Other Asian markets were trading mixed.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was trading 0.36 percent lower at 23,521.4 points, while the Shanghai Composite index was ruling 0.58 percent down at 2,871.74 points.

However, the Japanese markets ended 0.93 percent higher, at 10,115.19 points.