Sensex closes near day’s high, up 1.44 percent (Roundup)

MUMBAI - A key index of Indian equities ended trade Tuesday near its intra-day high, 1.44 percent higher than the previous close.

The sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) that opened at 16,984.54 points closed at 17,227.68 points, up 244.54 points or 1.44 percent from Monday’s closing at 16,983.14 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty shut shop at 5,147.95 points, against the previous close at 5,066.7 points, a gain of 81.25 points or 1.6 percent.

Gains were seen across markets with BSE midcap index closing 1.31 percent up and the BSE small cap index 1.38 percent higher.

Among the major gainers on the Sensex were Bharti Airtel, up 4.05 percent at Rs.329.20; DLF, up 3.53 percent at Rs.382.60; Tata Motors, up 2.78 percent at Rs.723.60; and Hindalco, up 2.56 percent at Rs.146.20.

There were only three losers on the benchmark index: SBI, down 0.78 percent at Rs.2,307.15; Maruti Suzuki, down 0.45 percent at Rs.1,569.05; and Hero Honda, down 0.14 percent at Rs.1,671.80.

The market breadth was positive, with 1,865 stocks advancing, 951 declining and 78 remaining unchanged.

Data with markets watchdog Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) showed that foreign funds were net sellers Tuesday, having sold scrips worth $0.63 million.

However, most other Asian markets were ruling in the red.

A key Japanese index, the Nikkei, closed 0.27 percent or 27.13 points down at 10,140.47 points as investors sought to book profits after a six-day rally.

The Kospi, the benchmark index of the Korean Stock Exchange, ended at 1,627.78 points, down 0.3 percent.

In China, the Shanghai composite index closed 1.06 percent in the negative at 3,296.66 points.

The Hang Seng, a benchmark index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, too shut shop in the negative at 22,060.52 points, 1.18 percent or 264.44 points down.

European markets started on a cautious note after the US Federal Chairman Ben Bernanke’s statement that the US recovery was still fragile and unemployment might remain high for some more time.

The FTSE 100 index, benchmark index of the London Stock Exchange, was ruling 28.14 points or 0.53 percent down at 5,282.52 points.

The French index, CAC 40, was ruling flat at 3,836.98 points, down 3.07 points, while its German peer, the DAX, was trading 0.11 points lower at 5,784.64 points.