Tracking overnight gains in the US markets, the key equity indices — the BSE Sensex and the Nifty50 — closed on Friday with 0.75 per cent gains. Taking cues from the Asian markets both indices stayed comfortably in the green throughout the days’ trade.
Finance stocks, which have the highest weightage among all the sectors on the BSE, rose 1.13 per cent and led the gains.
“Markets were up on the news of fresh infusion of capital in public sector banks,” Anuj Gupta of Angel Broking told IANS.
The S&P BSE Sensex settled 269.44 points or 0.75 per cent higher at 36,076.72 after touching an intra-day high of 36,194.78 and a low of 35,911.99.
The NSE’s Nifty50 gained 78.65 points or 0.73 per cent to finish at 10,858.45.
The Indian rupee rose by 30 paise at Rs 70.01 against the US dollar from its previous close of 70.35.
Stock-wise, Sun Pharma gained close to 3 per cent on Friday. Bajaj Finance, Vedanta, Yes Bank and HDFC gained in the range of 1 to 2 per cent.
In contrast, IT major TCS lost the most among the 30-stock Sensex. Bajaj-Auto, Bharti Airtel and Hero Moto Corp were the only other laggards who lost up to 1 per cent each.