Sensex ends slightly higher by 48.86 points

Mumbai, Aug 25: The key benchmark Sensex on Monday, Aug 25 closed slightly higher by 48.86 points to end firm at 14,450.35 on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on extended bull support in select heavyweight stocks by local operators.

The top heavyweight stocks slipped sharply lower from the day's high and ended marginally in green as sell off was seen in metals, power, oil and capital goods. But realty, banking, FMCG, telecom, select technology and auto stocks were supportive towards frontline indices. Midcap and small cap stocks also witnessing selling pressure, a leading broker said.

The market retreated from day's high, struck in early afternoon trade, as index heavyweight Reliance Industries (RIL) along with banking shares eased. A sharp slump in the price of oil and notable gains in US stocks on Aug 22 had triggered a firm opening.

Asian markets were firm, while European markets were subdued. Key benchmark indices in France and Germany fell 0.57 per cent and 0.23 per cent respectively. Stock markets in UK were closed.

The Sensex lost over 220 points and Nifty index of National Stock Exchange (NSE) over 63 points from day's high of 14,672.69 and 4398.80, respectively. Sensex closed at 14,450.35, up 48.86 points or 0.34 per cent. Nifty ended with a gain of 7.9 points or 0.18 pc at 4,335.35.

The market breadth, which was strong throughout the day, ended just about negative as small-cap and mid-cap stocks succumbed to selling pressure in late trade. On BSE, 1322 shares declined as compared to 1312 that advanced. 89 remained unchanged.

The total turnover on BSE amounted to Rs 3239 crore, brokers added.

REALTY index rose by 98.79 points and closed firm at 5043.52 points, followed by BANKEX index gaining by 89.96 to 6745,42, AUTO index hardened by 26.33 to 3865.85, TECH index by 23.05 to 3020.76 and MID CAP jumped up by 14.36 to 5741.21 points.

But BSE METAL index declined steeply by 120.56 to close low at 12,243.37 points, CG index dropped by 67.87 to 11,857.49 points, OILS&GAS index by 56.47 to 9885.19 points, POWER index by 24.80 to 2573.16 points and PSU index was lower by 23.40 to 6687.07 points.

On the BSE, top heavyweight stocks were in limelight with HDFC up sharply by Rs 82.75 to finish high at Rs 2363.40, followed by Grasim by Rs 28.45 to Rs 1957.55, HDFC bank by Rs 13.40 to Rs 1208.10, ICICI Bank by Rs 14.40 to Rs 563.50, SBI by Rs 11.20 to Rs 1357.45, DLF Ltd by Rs 11.25 to Rs 495.20, Tata Motors by Rs 8.70 to Rs 434.30, Infosys Tech by Rs 8 to Rs 1703.05, Satyam Comp by Rs 6.90 to Rs 393.30 and REL INFRA by Rs 6.35 to Rs 985.20.

However, a few top heavyweight shares drifted lower on profit booking at higher level by local operators. Tata Power crashed steeply by Rs 29.85 to Rs 1020.90, followed by BHEL by Rs 27.40 to Rs 1688.55, Reliance by Rs 14.70 to Rs 2230.95, Ranbaxy by Rs 10.70 to Rs 512.10,Tata Steel by Rs 8.85 to Rs 585.60, Steerlite by Rs 8.30 to Rs 618.45 and Maruti Suzuki by Rs 7.35 to Rs 624.50.

UNI