Key indices end volatile session higher

The market settled higher in what was a volatile trading session. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, rose 91.52 points or 0.27% to 34,192.65, as per the provisional closing data. The Nifty 50 index rose 21.95 points or 0.21% to 10,480.60, as per the provisional closing data.

The key indices opened higher and hit fresh intraday high in afternoon trade. Key indices sharply pared gains as sudden selling pressure emerged in afternoon trade. The indices gradually recovered and ended with decent gains.

The Sensex rose 212.01 points, or 0.62% at the day's high of 34,313.14 in early afternoon trade, its highest intraday level since 28 February 2018. The index rose 2.40 points, or 0.01% at the day's low of 34,103.53 in mid-afternoon trade. The Nifty rose 61.25 points, or 0.59% at the day's high of 10,519.90 in early afternoon trade, its highest intraday level since 1 March 2018. The index fell 7.20 points, or 0.07% at the day's low of 10,451.45 in mid-afternoon trade.

The breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was negative. On BSE, 1,439 shares declined and 1,279 shares rose. A total of 141 shares were unchanged.

Among secondary barometers, the BSE Mid-Cap index provisionally rose 0.46%, outperforming the Sensex. The BSE Small-Cap index provisionally rose 0.26%, underperforming the Sensex.

Metal shares rose. Steel Authority of India (up 3.65%), Jindal Steel & Power (up 3.02%), Hindalco Industries (up 2.28%), NMDC (up 2.23%), National Aluminium Company (up 0.92%), Vedanta (up 0.79%), Hindustan Zinc (up 0.62%) and JSW Steel (up 0.39%), edged higher. Hindustan Copper (down 1.63%), edged lower.

Tata Steel was down 0.48%. The company said total production in India was reported at 3.20 million tonnes (MT) in Q4 March 2018 compared with 3.07 MT in Q4 March 2017. Total sales in India was reported at 3.21 MT in Q4 March 2018 compared with 3.01 MT in Q4 March 2017. The announcement was made during trading hours today, 13 April 2018.

IT major Infosys rose 0.49%. The company announces its Q4 results today, 13 April 2018.

Index heavyweight Reliance Industries (RIL) rose 1.19%. RIL has entered into agreements on 12 April 2018 to acquire 34,33,767 equity shares of Indiavidual Learning (Embibe), for cash consideration, translating to 72.69% shareholding of Embibe on a fully diluted basis. RIL has agreed to invest upto rupee equivalent of $180 million into Embibe, (including consideration to be paid for acquiring majority stake from existing investors) over the next three years. The announcement was made beforer market hours today, 13 April 2018.

Embibe is an emerging education technology provider incorporated in India on 28 August 2012. It has operations in India. Embibe operates an AI-based education platform that leverages data analytics to deliver personalized learning outcomes to each student.

On macro front, the all-India general consumer price index (CPI) inflation eased marginally to five-month low of 4.28% in March 2018, compared with 4.44% in February 2018.

India's industrial production continued to record a healthy growth for the fourth straight month at 7.1% in February 2018 over February 2017. The manufacturing sector's production surged 8.7% in February 2018, contributing to the overall growth in industrial production. However, the growth of electricity generation output moderated to 4.5%, while the mining output declined 0.3% in February 2018.

Overseas, most European and Asian stocks rose after Donald Trump toned down his rhetoric on the timing of a missile attack on Syria.

China's Shanghai Composite fell 0.66%. China's trade balance swung to a deficit of $4.98 billion in March from a $33.7 billion surplus in the previous month. Exports declined 2.7% in March from a year earlier, following a 44.5% surge in February. Imports in March expanded 14.4% from a year earlier, compared with a 6.8% increase in February.

US stocks closed sharply higher on Thursday, as geopolitical concerns appeared to fade after President Donald Trump tweeted that a military strike on Syria may not be imminent. Escalating tensions over the Middle Eastern country were seen as a major contributor to weakness in Wednesday's session.

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