NEW DELHI: Markets perked up on Wednesday, as value buying set in ahead of a decision on monetary policy by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) where it is widely expected to keep benchmark interest rates on hold.

An increasing number of economists expect the central bank to raise interest rates, a Reuters poll showed, but most still think it will stay put and use this week’s meeting to prepare for a rate increase in August.

The BSE benchmark Sensex slipped below the key 35,000-mark in early trade today following losses in banking, power, realty and capital goods stocks.

Investors are cautious ahead of RBI’s policy decision due tomorrow, brokers said.

The BSE Sensex surrendered early gains to trade over 137 points lower in opening trade as investors remained on the sidelines ahead of RBI’s monetary policy review meeting beginning today.

RBI’s second bi-monthly monetary policy meeting of 2018-19 will be held from June 4-6.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday questioned Sanjay Gupta, the promoter of Delhi-based brokerage OPG Security, for allegedly manipulating the National Stock Exchange's (NSE) colocation system to gain unfair access to trading data.

According to a CBI official, Gupta in conspiracy with NSE officials “abused” the server architecture of the exchange.

The BSE Sensex advanced about 106 points in early session maintaining its positive form for the second day following robust growth data for the March quarter. Investors creating new positions at the beginning of the June futures and options (F&O) series also lifted the key indices.

The 30-share index, which had rallied 416.27 points in the previous session, was trading higher by 105.57 points, or 0.30 %, at 35,427.95.

Tracking their Asian peers, the benchamrk indices Sensex and Nifty opened on a positive note on Thursday. The BSE Sensex rose 246 points to trade above the key 35,000 mark.

At 9:50, Sensex was up by 70.88 points to trade at 34,974.69 while Nifty was trading at 10,630.50 points.

Shares of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals hit a fresh 52-week low of Rs 484 per share, slipping 9% on the BSE in early morning trade, after the company reported a decline of 17% in its consolidated net profit at Rs 1.52 billion for the quarter ended March 2018 (Q4FY18), on account of de-growth in US business. The drug company had profit of Rs 1.84 billion in the same quarter last fiscal.

On the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the stock was down 5% to Rs 506 in intra-day trade.

In a much needed relief for people across the country, petrol prices were slashed by 59 paise in Mumbai and 60 paise in Delhi today, according to ANI report. Meanwhile, Diesel prices went down by 59 paise in Mumbai and 56 paise in the national capital. On Wednesday, Petrol prices stand at Rs 77.83 per litre in Delhi and Rs 85.65 per litre in Mumbai. The price of Diesel is now down to Rs 68.75 per litre in Delhi and Rs 73.20 per litre in Mumbai. The rates of petrol and diesel went down after 16 consecutive hikes in rates triggering political slugfest.

With S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Sensex returning merely 2.55% returns since the beginning of the year in addition to weaker performance of other indices, S&P BSE Information Technology (IT) index has emerged as the best performing index. Analysts say stronger dollar, increased digital spending, strong results and reduced external factors around immigration have resulted in the rally of IT stocks.

The BSE Sensex rose over 187 points in early trade extending Thursday’s rally on robust buying in IT, energy and banking stocks amid unabated purchases by domestic institutional investors.

Asian shares were mixed after US President Donald Trump cancelled a planned meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

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