Metal and mining stocks gain across the board

Key benchmark indices hovered in positive zone in morning trade after an initial upmove triggered by positive Asian stocks. At 10:19 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 94.56 points or 0.28% at 33,914.06. The Nifty 50 index was up 33.05 points or 0.32% at 10,415.75. Metal and mining stocks gained across the board. Telecom stocks rose.

Domestic stocks edged higher in early trade tracking positive Asian stocks.

The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 0.95%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.96%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.

The broad market depicted strength. There were more than two gainers against every loser on BSE. 1,548 shares rose and 565 shares fell. A total of 84 shares were unchanged.

Overseas, Asian stocks were trading higher as investors continue to debate the outlook for central bank policy normalization and the impact of higher bond yields. Meanwhile, Japan's core consumer price index rose for a 13th straight month in January, increasing by 0.9% from a year earlier, matching December's rate of growth, data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed today, 23 February 2018.

In US, the Dow and the S&P 500 closed higher while the Nasdaq slipped yesterday, 22 February 2018 as investors grappled with the threat from higher interest rates. On the data front, initial US jobless claims fell by 7,000 to 222,000 in the seven days ended 17 February 2018, marking the second lowest level since the end of the 2007-2009 recession.

Back home, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (up 4.16%), Yes Bank (up 2.39%) and ICICI Bank (up 1.16%) edged higher from the Sensex pack.

Metal and mining stocks gained across the board. Vedanta (up 2.03%), JSW Steel (up 2.42%), Tata Steel (up 3.35%), Steel Authority of India (Sail) (up 3.01%), National Aluminium Company (up 2.15%), Hindustan Zinc (up 2.1%), Jindal Steel & Power (up 3.98%), Hindalco Industries (up 1.77%), NMDC (up 1.46%), Hindustan Copper (up 1.84%) edged higher.

Telecom stocks rose. Bharti Airtel (up 1.81%), Idea Cellular (up 0.55%), Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) (up 1.15%) and Reliance Communications (up 0.91%) rose. MTNL (down 1.86%) fell.

Shares of Bharti Infratel fell 0.57%. Bharti Infratel is a provider of tower and related infrastructure and is a unit of Bharti Airtel.

KSB Pumps gained 1.89% after net profit rose 21.1% to Rs 27.35 crore on 30.9% growth in net sales to Rs 328.19 crore in Q4 December 2017 over Q4 December 2016. KSB Pumps' board recommended dividend of Rs 6 per share for the year ended 31 December 2017. The results were announced after market hours yesterday, 22 February 2018.

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