Sensex closes above 20,000 (Roundup)

MUMBAI - Backed by foreign fund inflows, Indian stock markets closed higher Friday, with a key benchmark index gaining 184 points to zip past the 20,000-mark for the second time in a week.

All 13 sectoral indices on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) closed in the green. Realty, FMCG and consumer durables stocks were among major gainers.

Data available with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) showed that foreign institutional investors (FIIs) poured in $127.8 million into the equities markets Friday.

The 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,836.43, closed at 20,045.18 points, 184.17 points or 0.93 percent higher, from its previous close at 19,861.01 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the 50-share S&P CNX Nifty ended at 6,018.3 points, up 0.99 percent.

Broader markets also saw healthy buys. The BSE midcap ended 1.04 percent up and the BSE smallcap index 1.05 percent higher.

The market breadth was positive with 1,836 scrips advancing, compared to 1,131 stocks declining and 117 remaining unchanged.

The major gainers on the Sensex were DLF, up 5.18 percent at Rs.365.65; Hindustan Unilever, up 3.93 percent at Rs.314.65; Hero Honda, up 3.85 percent at Rs.1,865.15, and Bharti Airtel, up 3.56 percent at Rs.368.

Among the losers were: Jindal Steel, down 1.19 percent at Rs.692.70; Sterlite Industries, down 0.23 percent at Rs.172.35; Tata Motors, down 0.17 percent at Rs.1,070.35, and TCS, down 0.11 percent at Rs.931.45.

Other Asian markets were ruling mixed, after the job data from the US showed a rise in number of unemployment claims. Some other bourses like the Chinese, remaining closed for mid-autumn festival holidays.

The Japan’s Nikkei closed 0.99 percent lower at 9,471.67 points.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng ended 0.33 percent up at 22,119.43 points.

European bourses were ruling in negative, ahead of more economic data from the US to be released Friday. Traders were also cautious after the Asian markets closed subdued.

At closing bell here, the FTSE 100 was trading 0.35 percent lower at 5,527.65 points.

The German DAX was ruling 0.44 percent down at 6,157.79 points and the French CAC 40 was trading 0.38 percent lower at 3,696.59 points.