Sensex closes slightly higher on late buying, Nifty reclaims 9,650 mark

Mumbai: The BSE benchmark Sensex and broader NSE’s Nifty on Friday rebounded about 49 points to close at 31,262.06 on fag-end buying in sectors such as realty, metal, auto, banking and health care amid a firming trend in global markets. Furthermore, covering-up of short positions by bears too supported the late recovery in stocks, helping wipe off initial losses.

The 30-share index started on a bearish note at 31,196.86 stayed in the negative terrain for most part of the day to hit a low of 31,087.28 as participants indulged in trimming their positions to lock in gains. However, late buying helped it stage a strong comeback to wipe off day’s losses to scale a high of 31,289.99 before ending 48.70 points, or 0.16%, higher at 31,262.06. The gauge had lost 57.92 points in the previous session.

The NSE Nifty also went up by 21 points, or 0.22%, at 9,668.25, after moving between 9,608.15 and 9,676.25. BSE sectoral indices led by realty, metal, auto, banking, health care and capital goods leading the recovery, rising up to 2.60%.

Both the BSE and NSE indices recorded their first weekly fall in five weeks by losing 11.23 points, or 0.03% and 14.75 points, or 0.15%. The broader market outperformed the key indices with the small-cap index rising 0.50% and the mid-cap index rose 0.28%.

Meanwhile, Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 90.78 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) had also bought shares worth a net Rs 738.78 crore yesterday as per provisional data.

Globally, in the Asian region, Japan’s Nikkei up 0.52% and Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.26 percent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng down 0.13%.

In the Eurozone, Germany Frankfurt’s up 0.45%, Paris CAC rose 0.40% in their early deals. London’s FTSE edged higher 0.74%.

Bombay Stock Exchange - BSE

National Stock Exchange of India Ltd (NSE)