SME Times News Bureau | 14 Feb, 2012

A benchmark index for Indian equities markets Tuesday shot up in late trade to close 75 points higher, after remaining range bound for most of the day.

Investors took a breather after the recent rallies and were cautious after global credit rating agency Moody's downgraded sovereign rating of six Euro zone countries.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 17,767.46 points, closed at 17,848.57 points, 75.73 points or 0.43 percent up from its previous close at 17,772.84 points.

The 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was trading at 5,416.05 points, up 25.85 points or 0.48 percent from its previous close.

Broader markets also moved up from lacklustre trade, with the BSE 500 index closing 0.57 percent up. The BSE midcap index moved up 1.15 percent while the BSE smallcap index gained 0.83 percent.

Among the 13 sectoral indices on BSE, capital goods, realty and auto stocks were on the rise, while healthcare scrips saw some selling.

Overseas funds continued with their buying spree. According to data available with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), foreign institutional investors bought stocks worth $131.31 million Tuesday.

FIIs have pumped in over $4.17 billion in 2012, having bought equities worth $2.03 billion in January and $2.14 billion in February till Tuesday.

Prominent gainers on the 30-scrip Sensex included L&T, up 3.87 percent at Rs.1,379.35; Tata Motors, up 3.74 percent at Rs.267.90; SBI, up 3.26 percent at Rs.2,198.45 and Maruti Suzuki, up 3.24 percent at Rs.1,265.25.

Major losers included Cipla, down 6.28 percent at Rs.320.95; Tata Power, down 3.61 percent at Rs.104.20; ONGC, down 1.67 percent at Rs.276; and Bharti Airtel, down 1.45 percent at Rs.342.45.

The market breadth was still positive with 1,619 stocks advancing, while 1,269 declined and 120 stayed unchanged.

Asian markets were mixed after Moody's pulled down sovereign ratings of six European nations due to the region's weak economic outlook and uncertain attempts to implement reforms.

The Japanese Nikkei rose 0.59 percent to close at 9,052.07 points, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng nudged up 0.15 percent to close at 20,917.83 points.

The Chinese Shanghai Composite index, however, slipped 0.3 percent to end at 2,344.77 points.

European markets were ruling quiet.

Britain's FTSE 100 was up 0.17 percent at 5,915.81 points. The German DAX was trading 0.58 percent higher at 6,777.68 points.

The French CAC 40 was trading 0.41 percent up at 3,398.32 points.