Sensex up 106 points, healthcare stocks gain

A benchmark index of Indian equities markets ended Monday's trade 106 points or 0.51 percent, two days after figures showed better-than-expected gross domestic product (GDP) data for the second quarter.

The 30-scrip S&P Sensex of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 20,771.27 points, closed at 20,898.01 points, up 106.08 points or 0.51 percent from its previous day's close at 20,791.93 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 20,941 points and a low of 20,770.51 points intra-day.

The Indian economy grew at a sluggish 4.8 percent in the second quarter of the current financial year. This is the fourth consecutive quarter of economic growth below five percent. The growth had slumped to 4.4 percent in the April-June quarter.

The S&P BSE healthcare index was up 190.22 points followed by capital goods index which gained 157.61 points, bank index moved up by 147.89 points, metal index climbed up by 94.51 points and automobile index gained by 56.07 points.

However, BSE oil and gas index closed Monday's trade down 32.57 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) closed trade 41.75 points or 0.68 percent up at 6,217.85 points.

Major Sensex gainers were: Sun Pharma, up 4.09 percent at Rs.595.55; Jindal Steel, 4.01 percent at Rs.268.25; Wipro, up 2.24 percent at Rs.481.50; Larsen and Toubro (L&T), up 2.22 percent at Rs.1,066.55; and BHEL, up 2.05 percent at Rs.159.25.

The main losers were: Hindustan Unilever, down 1.88 percent at Rs.583.25; ONGC, down 1.54 percent at Rs.293.90; Gail India, down 1.42 percent at Rs.333.45; Maruti Suzuki, down 0.96 percent at Rs.1,661.35; and Hindalco Inds, down 0.69 percent at Rs.121.85.

Among the Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 0.04 percent down and China's Shanghai Composite Index was lower by 0.39 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.66 percent.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 was trading 0.71 percent down, Germany's DAX Index was lower 0.06 percent and the French CAC 40 Index fell by 0.36 percent.