SME Times News Bureau | 21 May, 2012
A benchmark index for Indian equities markets Monday lost most of the early gains to close flat amid heightened investors' concern over the rupee that fell to a record low of 55.04 a dollar during trading hours.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 16,187.66 points in the morning, failed to sustain the intra-day gains and closed at 16,183.26 points, up 0.19 percent or 30.51 points from its previous close of 16,152.75 points.
The Sensex touched a high of 16,298.39 points and a low of 16,149.61 in intra-day trade. The BSE midcap index rose 23.91 points while the smallcap index gained 61.99 points.
The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange closed 0.30 percent higher at 4906.05 points.
The Indian rupee fell to a new low of 55.04 a dollar, before closing at 55.03 to the dollar.
Some buying was seen in capital goods, realty, and power stocks. Capital goods index was up 1.96 percent or 170.58 points, realty index was up 1.90 percent or 29.62 points while power index was up 1.27 percent or 22.60 points.
Major Sensex gainers included Tata Power, up 4.49 percent at Rs.95.50; State Bank of India, up 3.37 percent at Rs.2007.40; Maruti Suzuki, up 2.99 percent at Rs.1199.95; BHEL, up 2.51 percent at Rs.206.45; and Coal India, up 2.41 percent at Rs.310.45.
The prominent losers included Wipro, down 2.21 percent at Rs.382.15; Infosys, down 1.71 percent at Rs.2344.50; ITC, down 1.65 percent at Rs.235.25; Sterlite Inds, down 1.19 percent at Rs.99.75; and Cipla, down 1 percent at Rs.312.80.
