<p>The BSE benchmark Sensex extended Thursday’s gains by gaining another 163 points in opening trade on Friday as funds and retail investors engaged in enlarging their positions, taking cues from the firming trend on other Asian bourses.</p>.<p>The 30-share index of the Bombay Stock Exchange, which gained 197.40 points in the previous session, moved up further by 163.56 points, or 0.91 per cent, to 18,208.20 in opening trade.</p>.<p>In a similar fashion, the broad-based National Stock Exchange Nifty index rose by 43.65 points, or 0.81 per cent, to 5,456.00.</p>.<p>Stocks of realty, banking, oil and gas and metal sector companies were in better shape, helping the Sensex to rise.</p>.<p>Brokers said besides the firming trend on other Asian bourses, better-than-expected earnings by some companies also supported the upside in stock prices. However, rising food inflation worries kept investors cautious.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was trading 1.07 per cent higher and Japan’s Nikkei was up 0.20 per cent in morning trade today.</p>.<p>The US Dow Jones Industrial average ended 0.07 per cent higher in the previous session.</p>
<p>The BSE benchmark Sensex extended Thursday’s gains by gaining another 163 points in opening trade on Friday as funds and retail investors engaged in enlarging their positions, taking cues from the firming trend on other Asian bourses.</p>.<p>The 30-share index of the Bombay Stock Exchange, which gained 197.40 points in the previous session, moved up further by 163.56 points, or 0.91 per cent, to 18,208.20 in opening trade.</p>.<p>In a similar fashion, the broad-based National Stock Exchange Nifty index rose by 43.65 points, or 0.81 per cent, to 5,456.00.</p>.<p>Stocks of realty, banking, oil and gas and metal sector companies were in better shape, helping the Sensex to rise.</p>.<p>Brokers said besides the firming trend on other Asian bourses, better-than-expected earnings by some companies also supported the upside in stock prices. However, rising food inflation worries kept investors cautious.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was trading 1.07 per cent higher and Japan’s Nikkei was up 0.20 per cent in morning trade today.</p>.<p>The US Dow Jones Industrial average ended 0.07 per cent higher in the previous session.</p>