BSE Sensex opens high at 15,744.21 points

Mumbai, Jun 18: The key benchmark sensitive index of Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) today resumed firm at 15,744.21 points with a small gain of 47.31 points from its last close of 15,696.90 on fresh speculative demand from FIIs and local investors.

The key heavy weight stocks indices opened higher as crude oil extended a fall by 65 cents at USD 133.36 a barrel on the global electronic trading platform and positive Asian markets lifted sentiment. However, the market witnessed selling pressure within few minutes of opening and it moved into negative terrain. Cement stocks were in demand, while banking and IT stocks were trading lower. Asian markets were trading higher today. Key benchmark indices in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan were up in the range of 0.28 per cent to 2.70 per cent.

Presently, the 30-share BSE Sensex was up by 8.30 points or 0.05 per cent at 15,705.20 points. At the day's high of 15,789.62 points. Sensex gained 92.72 points in early trade. The index shed 50.45 points at the day's low of 15,646.45 points hit in early trade.

The broader-based S&P CNX Nifty index of National Stock Exchange (NSE) resumed flat at 4,652.80 points, later it recorded the day's high at 4679.75 and a low at 4,637.70 points. The current index was down 1.75 points or 0.04 per cent at 4,651.15.

The BSE Mid-Cap index rose 1.28 per cent to 6,482.18 and BSE Small-Cap index was up 1.11 per cent to 7,868.06 points.

Cement shares rose. India Cements was up by 4.48 per cent at Rs 168 followed by Ambuja Cements by 4.39 per cent at Rs 90.30, Ultratech Cements by 3.46 per cent at Rs 650, ACC by 2.65 per cent at Rs 655, and Grasim Industries by 1.55 per cent at Rs 2,211.00.

The top Sensex gainers were Reliance Communication was up by 1.5 per cent at Rs 538.40, Reliance Infrastructure rose by 1.30 per cent at Rs 1,118.80 and Ranbaxy Laboratories hiked 1.21 per cent at Rs 588.50.

Hindustan Unilever was down by 1.21 per cent at Rs 233.55, followed by HDFC Bank by 1.37 per cent at Rs 1,190, TCS by 1.23 per cent at Rs 910, ONGC by 1.41 per cent at Rs 872 and Maruti Suzuki by 0.98 per cent at Rs 748.20 were the top losers from the Sensex pack.

India's largest private sector firm by market capitalisation and oil refiner Reliance Industries rose 0.25 per cent at Rs 2,335. RIL has a highest weightage of 15.76 per cent in BSE Sensex.

UNI