Markets extend gains on fag-end buying; Infosys, L&T shine amid mixed trend

Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty pared early losses to close higher on Wednesday, helped by fag-end buying in index majors Infosys, L&T and M&M amid a mixed trend in global markets.

The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 137.50 points or 0.21 per cent to settle at 65,539.42. During the day, it fell by 369.03 points or 0.56 per cent to 65,032.89.

The NSE Nifty gained 30.45 points or 0.16 per cent to end at 19,465.

UltraTech Cement was the biggest gainer in the Sensex pack, rising 2.43 per cent, followed by NTPC, Tata Motors, Infosys, Power Grid, Mahindra & Mahindra, Larsen & Toubro, Maruti, Wipro and SBI were the major gainers.

In contrast, Tata Steel, Bharti Airtel, Bajaj Finserv, Axis Bank, Bajaj Finance and JSW Steel were the major laggards.

In Asian markets, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong ended in the negative territory.

European markets were trading mostly in the green. The US markets ended lower on Tuesday.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude climbed 0.01 per cent to USD 84.90 a barrel.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 2,324.23 crore on Monday, according to exchange data.

Equity markets were closed on Tuesday on account of 'Independence Day'.

The BSE benchmark climbed 79.27 points or 0.12 per cent to settle at 65,401.92 on Monday. The Nifty gained 6.25 points or 0.03 per cent to end at 19,434.55.