Sensex rises over 200 pts on firm global cues

Equity benchmark BSE Sensex jumped over 200 points in early trade on Friday tracking gains in banking, auto and energy stocks amid positive cues from global markets.

The 30-share index was trading 206.79 points, or 0.51 per cent, higher at 40,493.27, while the broader NSE Nifty rose 55.05 points, or 0.46 per cent, to 11,927.15.

Top gainers in the Sensex pack included SBI, Tata Motors, Bharti Airtel, Vedanta, ICICI Bank, Kotak Bank, Tata Steel, M&M, HCL Tech and Sun Pharma, rising up to 3 per cent.

On the other hand, HDFC, NTPC, Axis Bank and Bajaj Auto fell up to 0.43 per cent.

On Thursday, the Sensex ended 170.42 points, or 0.42 per cent, higher at 40,286.48. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty rose 31.65 points, or 0.27 per cent, to end at 11,872.10.

Foreign institutional investors offloaded shares worth Rs 562.05 crore in the capital market in the previous session, while domestic institutional investors purchased equities worth Rs 82.74 crore, data available with stock exchange showed.

Globally, bourses in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Seoul were trading on a positive note amid reports that the first-phase of trade talks between the US and China is in its final stage.

Stock exchanges on Wall Street ended on a mixed note on Thursday.

On the currency front, the rupee appreciated 14 paise (intra-day) against the US dollar to trade at 71.82 in early session.

Brent futures, the global oil benchmark, rose 0.45 per cent to USD 62.56 per barrel.