Mumbai, June 3 (IANS) A benchmark index for Indian equities, which shot up soon after opening bell on steady global cues, was holding on to its gains in afternoon trade Thursday, ruling 1.63 percent higher than its previous close.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 16,786.28 points, was ruling at 17,014.19 points, 272.35 points or 1.63 percent up from its previous close at 16,741.84 points.
At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was ruling at 5,108.65 points, up 1.77 percent from its previous close at 5,019.85 points.
Broader markets indices were in the positive, with the BSE midcap index ruling 0.96 percent up and the BSE smallcap index 1.2 percent higher.
Among other Asian markets, the Japanese Nikkei ended 3.24 percent higher at 9,914.19 points.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was up, taking strength from the rally in US markets Wednesday. It was ruling at 19,821.76, up 1.8 percent.
The South Korean Kospi too was ruling in the green, up 1.93 percent at 1,661.84 points.
However, the Shanghai composite index was down 0.73 percent at 2,552.66 points.
European markets opened strong, helped by buying in battered oil stocks and news of good auto and housing data from the US.
The FTSE 100, a key index in UK was up 1.54 percent at 5,230.52 points, while its German peer DAX was ruling 1.93 percent up at 6,096.58 points.
The French CAC 40 too was up 2.14 percent at 3,576.47 points.
