Mumbai, Dec 29 (IANS) The Indian equity market’s benchmark indices rallied over one percent Wednesday led by a strong buying support in banks, metal and FMCG stocks, on the back of positive global cues.
The 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) climbed 1.15 percent or 230.61 points to 20,256.03 points.
The Sensex, which opened in the positive terrain at 20,060.88 points, touched a high of 20,274.20 points and low of 20,054.64 points in the intra-day trade.
Hindustan Unilever soared 3.48 percent to Rs.304.55. Sterlite Inds, Bharti Airtel and HDFC Bank surged over three percent.
At the National Stock Exchange 50-share S&P CNX Nifty settled at 6,060.35 points, up 1.07 percent or 64.35 points.
At the broader market the BSE smallcap index climbed over one percent and the midcap gained nearly half a percent.
All the sectoral indices closed in the green. The BSE consumer durables index soared nearly two percent. The Bankex and the metal index gained almost one and half percent.
Bharti Airtel, up 3.45 percent at Rs.354; Sterlite Inds, up 3.38 percent at Rs.185.15; HDFC Bank, up 3.23 percent at Rs.2,330.05; HDFC, up 2.44 percent at Rs.717.10; and ITC, up 1.84 percent at Rs.174.30, were major Sensex gainers.
Only three of the 30 Sensex scrips closed in the red. Cipla, down 0.82 percent at Rs.367.30; Wipro, down 0.66 percent at Rs.488.15; and Reliance Comm, down 0.50 percent at Rs.138.50, were Sensex losers.
Most other Asian markets closed in the positive and the European markets were also trading in the green.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng surged 1.54 percent to 22,969.30 points and China’s Shanghai Composite Index rebounded 0.68 percent to 2,751.53 points.
The Japanese Nikkei settled 0.50 percent higher at 10,344.50 points.
Most European markets were also in the green. Around mid-day, the German DAX was up 0.47 percent and the French CAC 40 was ruling almost one percent higher.
However, Britain’s FTSE 100 was down nearly a quarter percent.
