Nifty ends above 6,700, up 16 points

The market witnessed a range-bound trade as buying in key heavyweights like banking, FMCG, energy and infrastructure led the benchmark to garner 15.95 points to close above the crucial 6,700-mark.
Sentiments were supported by continued FII inflows and firm Asian cues amid positive US economic data that helped stock-specific buying activity, though choppiness prevailed which trimmed gains due to investors cautiousness over election results set due on May 16.
Shares of mid-cap and small-cap companies also gained, while IT counters witnessed profit-booking.
Meanwhile, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 279.86 crore yesterday, as per provisional data from the stock exchanges.

The 50-share index of National Stock Exchange traded between a high of 6,743.45 and a low of 6,701.90 before ending at 6,715.30, showing a gain of 15.95 points, or 0.24 per cent gain, over its last close.
Blue chip heavyweight Reliance gained for second day by 1.74 per cent, while key private sector Indusindbk hogged the limelight rising 2.11 per cent, followed by ICICI bank at 1.85 per cent and infra major L&T by 1.25 per cent.

Among the losers, PowerGrid fell 3.01 per cent, Ambuja Cement 1.83 per cent and Bharti Airtel 1.69 per cent.
Other gainers were Tata Motors, Tata Steel, ACC, DLF, ITC and Lupin.

Tata Power, Wipro, Axis Bank, HDFC, HeroMotocorp and TechM witnessed selling.
Turnover in the cash segment dropped to Rs 10,421.96 crore from Rs 11,445.51 crore yesterday. A total of 5,721.32 lakh shares changed hands in 50,38,516 trades, while market capitalisation stood at Rs 73,68,823 crore.