Nifty 50, Sensex fail to hold gains; auto, FMCG stocks rise
The Nifty 50 closed 0.11% lower, settling at 23,727, while the Sensex ended with a minor 0.09% drop at 78,472.
Benchmark indices maintained its winning steak for the third consecutive day to end 0.5 per cent higher on Friday, tracking gains in Reliance Industries, Bharti Airtel and TCS amid buoyancy in global markets.
Regulatory approval to Cadila Healthcare’s Zydus for human trials of a potential COVID-19 vaccine too boosted domestic investor sentiment, traders said.
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After climbing to the day’s top at 36,110.21, the 30-share BSE index settled 177.72 points or 0.50 per cent, higher at 36,021.42.
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Similarly, NSE Nifty rose 55.65 points, or 0.53 per cent, to end at 10,607.35.
On a weekly basis, the BSE Sensex gained 2.41 per cent while Nifty added 2.16 per cent.
Bharti Airtel was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rallying around 4 per cent, followed by Bajaj Auto, TCS, Titan, HCL Tech and Reliance Industries.
On the other hand, IndusInd Bank, Tata Steel and HDFC Bank were among the laggards.
Additionally, defence companies’ shares rallied and jumped 12 per cent on the Sensex charts after the Defence Ministry gave its approval to purchase weapons and equipments worth Rs 38,900 crore.
According to traders, domestic indices took cues from Asian peers that followed overnight gains on Wall Street after positive jobs data release in the US.
Despite hopes of a COVID-19 vaccine, gains were capped as rising coronavirus cases across the world weighed on the market mood, they added.
The number of cases around the world linked to the disease has crossed 1.08 crore and the death toll has topped 5.20 lakh. In India, the number of infections has touched 6.25 lakh, with 18,213 fatalities.
Bourses in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Seoul ended on a positive note, while those in Europe opened in the red.
Meanwhile, international oil benchmark Brent crude futures fell 1.69 per cent to USD 42.41 per barrel.
On the currency front, the rupee appreciated 38 paise to settle at 74.66 against the US dollar.
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