Sensex gains 95 points in opening trade

Mumbai, Feb 21 (PTI) The BSE benchmark Sensex rose byover 95 points in opening trade today after witnessing a sharpfall in the previous session on the back of selective buyingby funds and retail investors, ignoring a weak trend on otherAsian bourses.

The Sensex, which had lost 295.30 points in the previoussession on Friday, rose by 95.23 points, or 0.52 per cent, to18,306.75 today, with capital goods, IT and oil and gas stocksleading the recovery.

Similarly, the broad-based National Stock Exchange Niftyindex moved up by 24.60 points, or 0.45 per cent, to 5,483.55points.

Marketmen said the emergence of buying at select countersand covering-up of pending short positions by speculatorsahead of monthly expiry in the derivatives segment on Thursdaymainly influenced the trading sentiment.

They said, however, the ongoing probe into the 2Gspectrum scam and a weak trend on other Asian bourses cappedthe gains.

In the Asian region, Hong Kong''s Hang Seng was down by0.56 per cent, while Japan''s Nikkei shed 0.20 per cent inearly trade today.