Short-covering, strengthened rupee buoy Nifty

Short-covering and value buying on the back of futures and options (F&O) expiry, and a rupee appreciation buoyed the Indian equity markets Today.

The key indices provisionally closed with gains of more than half a per cent each as healthy buying was witnessed in automobile, oil and gas, and consumer durables stocks.

The wider 51-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) gained 68.75 points or 0.86 per cent to 8,103.60 points.

The barometer 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 26,429.41 points, provisionally closed at 26,366.15 points (at 3.30 p.m.) — up 155.47 points or 0.59 per cent from the previous day’s close at 26,210.68 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 26,429.63 points and a low of 26,166.67 points during the intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was tilted in favour of the bulls — with 1,647 advances and 906 declines.

On Wednesday, the equity markets had closed on a flat note on the back of profit booking ahead of derivatives expiry and outflow of foreign funds.

The barometer index was down a tad 2.76 points or 0.01 per cent, whereas the NSE Nifty inched up by 2.00 points or 0.02 per cent.

Traded Value (Rs. In Crores)    19268.58
Traded Quantity (in Lakhs)    9960.16
Number of Trades    7004670
Total Market Capitalisation (Rs. Crores)    10358949

ADVANCES    1080
DECLINES    510
UNCHANGED    80

In the cash segment FIIs were net sellers to the tune of Rs 662 crores and DIIs net buyers to the tune of  Rs 958 crores.