Sensex ends 73 points higher; FMCG stocks rise (Roundup)

A benchmark index of Indian equities markets ended Monday's trade 73.61 points or 0.29 percent up as fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) stocks surged.

Healthy buying was also observed in oil and gas and consumer durables sectors, while selling pressure was seen in capital goods, metal and information technology (IT) sector.

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 25,776.54 points, closed at 25,715.17 points, up 73.61 points or 0.29 percent from the previous day's close at 25,641.56 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 25,861.15 points and a low of 25,677.71 points in the trade so far.

The S&P BSE FMCG index gained 72.33 points, oil and gas index moved up by 64.16 points and consumer durables index inched up by 28.06 points.

However, capital goods index was down 124.51 points, metal index dipped 31.69 points and IT index was lower by 26.37 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also trading 20.30 points or 0.26 percent up at 7,684.20 points.

The major Sensex gainers were: HDFC, up 3.06 percent at Rs.1,011.05; Reliance Industries (RIL), up 2.11 percent at Rs.997.35; ITC, up 1.42 percent at Rs.349.05; Axis Bank, up 1.36 percent at Rs.2,023.15; and Tata Consultancy Service (TCS), up 0.89 percent at Rs.2,464.30.

The losers were: Tata Power, down 1.75 percent at Rs.103.90; State Bank of India (SBI), down 1.50 percent at Rs.2,523.15; Gail India, down 1.50 percent at Rs.438.60; Infosys, down 1.44 percent at Rs.3,206.45; and BHEL, down 1.22 percent at Rs.235.05.

Among the Asian markets, Hong Kong's Heng Seng ended 0.29 percent lower, while Singapore's Straits Times Index, closed up 0.11 percent. China's Shanghai Composite Index went 0.22 percent down.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 was down 0.39 percent, the French CAC 40 was lower by 0.50 percent, and Germany's DAX Index had lost 0.93 percent at the closing bell here.