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Nifty, Sensex post seventh session of gains; financials lead

Reuters
Bangalore, Karnataka, IndiaUpdated: Dec 19, 2018, 05:03 PM IST
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Bombay Stock Exchange Photograph:(Zee News Network)

Story highlights

Both the indexes BSE and NSE recorded a seventh straight session of gains, with the Nifty clocking its best rally since a nine-day streak in April.

Indian shares ended higher on Wednesday, underpinned by financials after the central bank announced liquidity injection via open market bond purchase for January, and as crude prices hovered near 14-month lows.

The benchmark BSE Sensex closed 0.38 per cent firmer at 36,484.33. 

The broader NSE Nifty ended 0.54 per cent higher at 10,967.3. 

Both the indexes recorded a seventh straight session of gains, with the Nifty clocking its best rally since a nine-day streak in April.

Markets received a boost after the Reserve Bank of India announced a higher-than-expected 500 billion rupees ($7.13 billion) of open market bond purchases for next month, reinforcing expectations that the central bank was turning dovish under Shaktikanta Das who was appointed as governor last week.

Softer crude prices have also strengthened India`s macroeconomic indicators, including inflation and its trade deficit, given the South Asian nation imports some two-thirds of its oil needs.

Axis Bank Ltd and Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd, which were among the top gainers on the NSE index, closed up 3.33 per cent and 7.85 per cent, respectively.

The 10-year benchmark bond yield was at a more-than-eight-month low of 7.25 per cent, while the rupee was trading at 70.37 to the dollar, after climbing to 69.85 earlier in the session.

Markets will also keep a close watch and look for cues on rate hikes from the US Federal Reserve meeting, which concludes later in the day.