BSE Sensex spurts by 326.55 points

Mumbai, Nov 23: The Sensex today recovered smartly by 326.55 points and ended positive at 18,852.87 on the Bombay Stock Exchange on fresh speculative demand from Foreign Institutional investors (FII's) and local domestic investors.

Reports of three blasts in Uttar Pradesh had pulled the market off from higher levels in mid-afternoon trade. It instantly recovered from lower levels later. Reliance Industries surged in late trade.

European markets were firm. France's CAC 40 was up by 0.55 pc to 5,445.62 followed by Germany's DAX by 0.15 pc to 7,572.64 and UK's FTSE 100 by 0.9 pc to 6,210.70, which helped to boost the Indian bourses.

Asian markets were trading mixed today. Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up by 2.06 pc at 26,541.09, followed by China's Sanghai Composite by 0.96 pc to 5,032.13 and Singapore's Straits Times by 0.39 pc to 3,325.89. However, Taiwan's Taiwan Weighted was down by 1.85 pc at 8,342.20 and South Korea's Seoul Composite eased by 1.45 pc at 1,772.88. Japanese stocks market was closed today for Labour Thanksgiving Day. US markets remained closed for Thanksgiving day yesterday.

As per provisional data, FIIs sold shares worth a net Rs 2487.71 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers of shares worth Rs 1341.15 crore yesterday, brokers said.

Capital goods, power, realty and metal stocks gained. Reliance Energy and DLF were the major winners whereas Maruti Suzuki india and HDFC Bank were major losers from Sensex pack. The market breadth was strong. European markets, which opened after Indian markets, were firm. However, Asian markets were mixed.

The 30-share BSE Sensex opened high at 18,737.22 poits. Later, Sensex hit a low of 18,548.05 in mid-afternoon trade. At day's low, Sensex was up just 21.74 points for the day. Sensex hit a high of 18,910.46 in early afternoon trade. At day's high of 18,910.46, Sensex had gained 384.14 points from its last close.

The S&P CNX Nifty index of NSE also resumed high at 5524.30 from it last close of 5519.35 points. Later it recorded a high at 5638.60 and a low at 5514.75 points during the day. Finally, it closed high at 5608.60 with a modest gain of 88.25 points or 1.62 pc from its last close.

BSE clocked a turnover of Rs 6140 crore, lower than yesterday's Rs 7,127.32 crore. The BSE Mid-Cap index rose by 1.75 pc to 8,232.07 and the BSE Small-Cap index moved up by 1.19 pc to 10,180.59.

Index heavyweight and India's largest private sector firm by market capitalisation Reliance Industries was up 3.53 pc to Rs 2,825. Metal stocks surged in late trade. Sterlite Industries was up by 5.53 pc to Rs 886.90 followed by Steel Authority of India by 2.41 pc to Rs 252.90, Hindalco Industries by 0.8 pc to Rs 187.95 and Tata Steel by 0.01 pc to Rs 819.

India's largest truck maker by sales Tata Motors rose by 2.6 pc to Rs 710 after union leaders at Ford Motor Co's Land Rover and Jaguar brands agreed on November 22 to support the Indian firm's bid for the brands.

Power stocks surged. India's biggest power generation firm by revenue NTPC rose by 3.98 pc to Rs 236.60. Reliance Energy was up by 7.48 pc to Rs 1,725.10 and PowerGrid Corporation of India by 6.59 pc to Rs 151.20.

Realty stocks gained. India's largest real estate developer by market capitalisation DLF gained by 5.58 pc to Rs 868.65. As per reports, Fortis Healthcare and DLF are close to signing an agreement to set up 15 hospitals in the next five years on lands situated in the real estate giant's townships in India.

Indiabulls Real Estate spurted up by 1.86 pc to Rs 614.05 and, Unitech hardened by 3.58 pc to Rs 339.95 edge higher.

Capital goods stocks surged. Larsen&Toubro was up by 4.02 pc to Rs 4,100.50 followed by Bharat Heavy Electricals by 2.34 pc to Rs 2,543.20 and Suzlon Enegy by 0.14 pc to Rs 1,859.75 edged higher.

India's biggest dedicated housing finance firm in terms of revenue HDFC rose by 4.12 pc to Rs 2,666.30.

Maruti Suzuki India was down by 2.07 pc to Rs 946.70 and Cipla came down by 0.93 pc to Rs 181.25 and ITC eased by 0.57 pc to Rs 184.15.

Jindal Steel rose by 20.7 pc to Rs 12,096 and was the top gainer from A group shares on BSE. Neyveli Lignite was up by 18.3 pc to Rs 214.30 followed by Welspun Gujarat Stahl Rohren by 7.7 pc to Rs 399.30, Escorts by 8.42 pc to Rs 148.15 and Indian Bank by 10.03 pc to Rs 166.75.

Shares in DCM Shriram Industries hit 5 pc upper circuit at Rs 88.05 on reports that the founders offered to raise the warrants subscription price to Rs 90 each from Rs 52 at a Company Law Board hearing. The move was in response to a petition from a large shareholder seeking a stay on the preferential issue of warrants due to low pricing.

Asian Oilfield Services hit 5 pc upper circuit at Rs 205.15. It announced after the market hours yesterday that a meeting of the board of directors of the company will be held shortly, to consider the issue and allotment of equity shares and/or warrants on preferential basis to strategic investors, brokers added.

UNI