NSE Nifty gains 11 points in choppy trade

The benchmark index CNX Nifty today gained 11 points in a choppy trade on the National Stock Exchange on the last day of December derivative contracts.
The broader market witnessed volatility in absence of definite cues amid Christmas holidays, but small and mid-cap stocks extended rally. Pharma and auto counters witnessed profit booking.
Supported by buying in banking, FMCG and IT sectors, the Nifty briefly touched the 6,300-mark but soon slipped as traders covered pending positions on the expiry day. Futures contracts expire on the last Thursday of every month.
The 50-share Nifty traded between a high of 6,302.75 and a low of 6,259.45, before ending at 6,278.90, up 10.50 points, or 0.17 per cent, over the last close.

The market opened higher on firm Asian cues but slipped in the red during early afternoon trade amidst immense volatility. Later, shares traded in a tight range before ending in the green.
Major gainers were Tata Power, ONGC, BPCL, Wipro, HDFC Bank, Tata Steel, Axis Bank, BHEL, Ambuja Cement and Infosys. Bajaj Auto, HeroMoto, Dr Reddy's, Lupin, Ranbaxy, PNB and Reliance Industries were among prominent losers.
Turnover in the cash segment climbed to Rs 12,458.25 crore from Rs 9,481.02 crore previously. A total of 8,588.25 lakh shares changed hands in 55,41,396 trades, while market capitalisation stood at Rs 68,26,085 crore.