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Sensex rises for 8th session, ends marginally higher

PTI
Mumbai, Maharashtra, IndiaUpdated: Mar 20, 2019, 06:48 PM IST
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Bombay Stock Exchange Photograph:(Zee News Network)

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The 30-share index began the session on a firm note at 38,433.86 and hit the session's high of 38,489.81 on steady inflow of buying by foreign funds as well as retail investors

Continuing its upward journey for the eighth consecutive session, market benchmark BSE Sensex ended marginally higher Wednesday, following gains in Infosys, HDFC twins and L&T amid uninterrupted capital inflows by foreign funds.

Gains were, however, capped tracking Asian shares that slipped from six-month highs after a lacklustre session as investors booked profits ahead of a policy decision by the US Federal Reserve, experts said.

The 30-share index began the session on a firm note at 38,433.86 and hit the session's high of 38,489.81 on steady inflow of buying by foreign funds as well as retail investors.

However, after emergence of profit-booking and losses in select heavyweight stocks, the index turned negative and hit a low of 38,316.21 before returning in positive terrain to close the day higher by 23.28 points, or 0.06 per cent, to 38,386.75.

The barometer had rallied about 1,500 points in the previous seven sessions.

The broader NSE Nifty, however, ended 11.35 points, or 0.10 per cent, lower at 11,521.05 after shuttling between 11,556.10 and 11,503.10 during the session on expiry of March series derivative contracts.
 

Market will remain closed Thursday on account of Holi.

Infosys was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rising 2.36 per cent, followed by HDFC Bank up 1.39 per cent.

Other gainers included Yes Bank, 1.27 per cent, L&T 1.19 per cent, Sun Pharma 1.07 per cent, HDFC 0.98 per cent, Vedanta 0.84 per cent, SBI 0.23 per cent, HCL Tech 0.23 per cent, Kotak Bank 0.20 per cent, Asian Paints 0.07 per cent and RIL 0.03 per cent.

Among laggards, NTPC suffered the most, cracking 4.29 per cent and ONGC plunged 3.28 per cent.

Other losers were Coal India, Tata Steel, Maruti Suzuki, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Auto, Tata Motors, ICICI Bank, M&M, Bharti Airtel, Axis Bank, HUL, IndusInd Bank, PowerGrid, TCS, ITC Ltd and Hero MotoCorp, falling up to 2.43 per cent.

Stocks of oil marketing companies like BPCL, HPCL and IOC, however, faced selling pressure and lost up to 5.32 per cent after global crude prices soared.