Sensex bounces 124 points in opening trade

Mumbai, Feb 1 (PTI) The BSE benchmark Sensex todayrecovered by nearly 125 points in the opening trade, afterwitnessing a four-session losing streak, on buying by fundsand retail investors, triggered by firming trend on the otherAsian bourses.

The Sensex, which had lost nearly 825 points in theprevious four sessions, rose 124.30 points to 18,452.06 withmetal, healthcare, capital goods and consumer durable sectorstocks trading in the positive zone.

Similarly, the broad-based National Stock Exchange indexNifty, moved up by 33.25 points to 5,539.15 points.

Marketmen said emergence of buying by funds and retailinvestors at prevailing levels, selective gains on the otherAsian markets following overnight gains at the US market,helped stocks to stage a comeback.

In the Asian region, the Hong Kong''s Hang Seng was up by0.27 per cent, while Japanese Nikkei was up by 0.43 per centin the morning trade today.

The US Dow Jones Industrial average ended 0.58 per centhigher in yesterday''s trade.