Sensex gains 40 points in early trade

The BSE benchmark Sensex gained over 40 points in early trade today on sustained buying by funds and retail investors mainly in consumer durables, realty and capital goods sector stocks.
Rising for the third straight session, The 30-share barometer gained 40.43 points, or 0.21 per cent, to 19,210.26. In the past two sessions, Sensex had gone up by nearly 439 points.
The wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty traded 8.70 points, or 0.15 per cent, higher at 5,843.10.
Brokers said the sentiment remained firm on sustained buying on expectation that easing inflation and weak commodity prices might prompt the Reserve Bank of India to cut interest rate in its monetary policy meeting on May 3.

Besides, covering-up of short positions ahead of monthly expiry in the derivatives segment on Thursday, also supported the upside in select stocks, they said.
In the Asian region, Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell by 0.23 per cent, while the Japan's Nikkei by 0.28 per cent in early trade today. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.14 per cent higher yesterday.