IDFC, JP Associates top 2012 returns on Nifty

Boith stocks delivered 86% to investors, Tata Motors was third best stock, yielding 75%

Banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), auto and infrastructure stocks were among the stronger performers at the bourses in calendar 2012, as the National Stock Exchange's (NSE) 50-stock index  Nifty jumped 36.56 per cent and the Bombay Stock Exchange's 30-stock sensitive index or Sensex rose 25 per cent between December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2012.

The best of Nifty, 2012
Stock	Price: Dec 31, 2011 (Rs)	Price: Dec 31, 2012  (Rs)	Returns (%)
JP Associates	52	97	86.56
IDFC	92	171	85.86
Tata Motors	179	313	75
Asian Paints	2,592	4,433	71
Ultra Tech Cement	1,167	1,986	70
Axis Bank	808	1,357	68
ICICI Bank	685	1,138	66
Maruti Suzuki	918	1,490	62
L&T	995	1,607	61.50
HCL Tech	388	619	59.53
HDFC Bank	477	679	59
Closing price source: NSE

Among Nifty stocks, IDFC and JP Associates delivered the highest returns of about 86 per cent each. IDFC jumped from Rs 92 to Rs 171 between December 2011 and December 2012 and JP Associates rose from Rs 52 to Rs 97. Tata Motors was the third best stock in this period, yielding 75 per cent to investors. The stock moved from Rs 179 to Rs 313. Asian Paints (at Rs 4,433 in December 2012) and UltraTech Cements (at Rs 1,986 in December 2012) gave 71 and 70 per cent, respectively, in the past one calendar year.

Axis Bank gave the highest return among banks at 68 per cent and ICICI Bank returned 66 per cent. While ICICI Bank's stock price stood at Rs 1,138 from Rs 685, Axis Bank moved from Rs 808 to Rs 1,357. HDFC Bank returned 59 per cent to its investors, the stock price moved from Rs 427 to Rs 679.

Maruti Suzuki was the next best auto stock in the Nifty, after Tata Motors, the stock price moved from Rs 918 to Rs 1,490, up 62 per cent. Infrastructure major L&T stock moved up to Rs 1,607 from Rs 995, up nearly 62 per cent. Lastly, HCL Tech gave nearly 60 per cent as the stock moved up from Rs 388 to Rs 619.