Mumbai: The benchmark BSE Sensex turned choppy on tepid cues from overseas
market, despite positive macroeconomic data and appreciating rupee.
The 30-share barometer rose 44.58 points, or 0.13 per
cent, to 33,962.52 in early session. However, a weak trend in other
Asian markets following negative lead from Wall Street, restricted the
gains.
The gauge rallied 610.80 points in the previous session, logging its biggest single-day gain in two years.
Sectoral indices led by consumer durables, capital goods, realty,
bankex, oil & gas, PSU, FMCG, healthcare and auto were trading in
the green, rising up to 0.66 per cent.
The NSE index Nifty climbed 19.65 points, or 0.18 per
cent, to 10,441.05.
Major gainers were Wipro, Bharti Airtel,
SBI, Sun Pharma, rising up to 2.15 per cent. While, TCS, Coal India and
NTPC were the top losers.
Shares of Tata Consultancy Services
(TCS) cracked nearly 5 per cent after Tata Sons yesterday sold a 1.48
per cent stake in its flagship IT services firm to raise Rs 8,127 crore
(USD 1.25 billion).
Brokers said buying picked up on select
counters on positive economic data. Industrial production expanded to
7.5 per cent in January while retail inflation eased to 4.4 per cent in
February, raising industry clamour for a rate cut by the RBI next month
to maintain growth momentum.
On a net basis, foreign portfolio
investors (FPIs) bought shares worth Rs 374.65 crore while domestic
institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares worth Rs 464.59 crore
yesterday, provisional data showed.
Overseas, most Asian stocks
were trading lower following a fall in US stocks as focus turned to a US
inflation report due today for clues on the pace of US Fed policy
tightening.
In Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down 0.16 per
cent, Japan's Nikkei fell 0.16 per cent and China's Shanghai Composite
index slipped 0.17 per cent in early trade.
The US Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 0.62
per cent lower in yesterday's trade.
PTI
