Sensex gains 102 points; healthcare stocks rise (Roundup)

A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Thursday ended trade 102 points or 0.40 percent up as healthcare, automobile and bank stocks gained.

However, heavy selling pressure was observed in oil and gas, technology, entertainment and media (TECK) and consumer durables stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) opened the day's trade at 25,597.21 points and closed at 25,576.21 points, up 102.32 points or 0.40 percent from previous day's close at 25,473.89 point.

The Sensex touched a high of 25,611.32 points and a low of 25,409.69 points during the day.

The index had touched a new high of 25,735.87 points Wednesday.

The S&P BSE healthcare index gained 148.24 points, automobile index was higher by 92.19 points and bank index rose by 26.43 points.

However, oil and gas index was down 16.90 points, TECK index lost 9.48 points and consumer goods index was marginally lower by 1.45 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) ended the trade up 23.60 points or 0.31 percent at 7,650.45 points.

This is a new closing high for the Nifty.

The major Sensex gainers were: Hindalco Inds, up 3.78 percent at Rs.168.75; Sun Pharma, up 2.80 percent at Rs.630.70; HDFC, up 2.62 percent at Rs.978.60; HDFC Bank, up 2.37 percent at Rs.839.90; and Maruti Suzuki, up 1.33 percent at Rs.2,479.15.

The losers were: Bharti Airtel, down 3.57 percent at Rs.341.55; Coal India, down 2.31 percent at Rs.394.75; Axis Bank, down 1.90 percent at Rs.1,904.50; BHEL, down 1.17 percent at Rs.244.20; and Sesa Sterlite, down 0.75 percent at Rs.292.30.

Among the Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 0.64 percent down. China's Shanghai Composite Index was lower by 0.16 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.35 percent down.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 was trading 0.11 percent up and Germany's DAX Index was higher by 0.06 percent, while the French CAC 40 Index gained 0.21 percent at the closing bell here.