Sensex touches new high; FMCG stocks roll (Roundup)

A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Monday touched a new high of 28,027.96 points, its fifth high in six trading sessions, but ended the day's trade flat -- barely 6.10 points or 0.02 percent up.

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) had touched a high of 28,010 points in the intra-trade session Nov 5, surpassing its previous high of 27,969.82 points recorded Nov 3.

Healthy buying spree was witnessed in fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), consumer durables and healthcare stocks. However, heavy selling was observed in capital goods, oil and gas and bank sectors.

The Sensex, which opened at 27,919.45 points, closed trade at 27,874.73 points, up 6.10 points or 0.02 percent from the previous day's close at 27,868.63 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 28,027.96 points and a low of 27,764.75 points in the intra-day.

The S&P FMCG index gained by 211.32 points, while consumer durables index increased by 97.57 points and healthcare index went up by 70.49 points.

However, the capital goods index was down 161.02 points, followed by oil and gas index which was lower by 142.09 points and bank index which fell by 105.02 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange also closed trade in positive territory. It ended 7.25 points or 0.09 percent up at 8,344.25 points.

The major Sensex gainers were: ITC, up 4.27 percent at Rs.370.85; Sun Pharma, up 2.09 percent at Rs.910.30; Tata Power, up 2.03 percent at Rs.93.15; DrReddy, up 1.34 percent at Rs.3,442.60; and Coal India, up 1.32 percent at Rs.349.25.

Major Sensex losers were: ONGC, down 3.59 percent at Rs.394.55; Hindalco Inds, down 2.37 percent at Rs.152.35; Tata Motors, down 2.26 percent at Rs.521.70; Larsen and Toubro (L&T), down 1.98 percent at Rs.1,620; and Axis Bank, down 1.83 percent at Rs.460.25.

Among Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei index was down 0.59 percent, however, Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.83 percent. Shanghai's Composite Index, too, was higher by 2.27 percent.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 was up 0.45 percent, France's CAC 40 was higher by 0.42 percent and Germany's DAX Index gained by 0.34 percent.