Mumbai, June 30 (IANS) A key index for Indian equities Wednesday crawled back to positive terrain in afternoon trade after a weak morning session as other Asian markets tumbled over lower consumer confidence data from the US.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,476.85 points, was ruling at 17,596.16 points, 62.07 points or 0.35 percent up from its previous close at 17,534.09 points.
At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was ruling at 5,274.55 points, up 0.35 percent from its previous close at 5,256.15 points.
Broader markets indices were flat with the BSE midcap index ruling 0.07 percent higher and the BSE smallcap index 0.21 percent up.
IT and telecom stocks came under selling pressure, while oil and gas and FMCG scrips saw some buying.
The market breadth was tilted towards the positive, with 1,432 scrips on the advance, compared to 1,308 stocks declining, and 111 remaining unchanged.
Asian markets were in the red, tracking the selling spree in US markets Tuesday over the fall of a key consumer confidence indicator in June.
The Japanese Nikkei ended at a seven-month low, at 9,382.64 points, 1.96 percent lower than its previous close.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was ruling 0.77 percent down at 20,093.76 points, while the Chinese Shanghai composite index was in the negative at 2,398.37 points, 1.18 percent lower.
The South Korean Kospi closed lower at 1,698.29 points, 0.55 percent down.
-Indo-Asian News Service
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