Sensex gains 173 points; healthcare stocks up

A benchmark index of the Indian equities markets, the 30-scrip BSE Sensitive Index (Sensex), made healthy gains during the mid-afternoon trade session on Friday. It was trading 173 points or 0.63 percent up.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also made gains. It rose by 54 points or 0.64 percent up at 8,372.55 points.

The Sensex of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 27,553.03 points, was trading at 27,679.61 points (at 1.35 p.m.), up 172.90 points or 0.63 percent from the previous day's close at 27,506.71 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 27,829.91 points and a low of 27,467.23 points in the trade so far.

According to Angel Broking, the Indian markets opened in the positive zone tracking the SGX Nifty.

On Thursday, investor sentiment took a hit from uncertainty regarding the situation in Greece.

The Indian markets fell modestly on Thursday, with the Nifty index closing lower for

the fourth straight day, as investors adopted a cautious stance on the eve of the

expiry of monthly derivative contracts.

During the Friday's trade so far, healthy buying was observed in the healthcare, automobile, banking, capital goods, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and oil and gas sectors.

However, the consumer durables and power stocks came under selling pressure.

The S&P BSE healthcare index zoomed by 226.69 points, followed by automobile index which augmented by 221.30 points, banking index rose by 152.89 points, capital goods index increased by 126.71 points, FMCG index gained by 61.10 and oil and gas index was up by 61.05 points.

The S&P BSE consumer durables index was lower by 71.01 points and power index lost 5.46 points.