JOIN USMarkets ended flat on Saturday with a positive bias in a special two-hour trading session conducted by bourses amid lack of participation by institutional investors, led by gains in pharma shares.
The popular Sensex on BSE was up 39.70 points or 0.2 per cent, off close to 25 points from the day's high and up about 70 points from the day's low, while the 50-share CNX Nifty on NSE ended up 13 points at the closing. With this, both indices attained their highest closing level in more than two years, while another index heavyweight Reliance Industries (RIL) was slightly higher.
Pharma stocks rose on renewed buying with Lupin recently announcing 3-fold increase in net profit for the March quarter, while Sun Pharma rose 1.87 percent to Rs 952.70. Among other pharma stocks, Cipla, Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Lupin, Ranbaxy Laboratories gained by 1.4 to 3.39 per cent.
While PSU OMCs rose after oil market companies hiked diesel prices by Rs 1.02 per litre, auto stocks were mostly lower after oil market companies hiked diesel prices by Rs 1.02 per litre.
Maruti Suzuki India hit 52-week high. Two wheeler markers rose. The market hovered between positive and negative terrain at the start of a special trading session even as the Sensex hit its highest level in 14-1/2 weeks.
The stock exchanges conducted a special trading session for a short duration this day as the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) tested its disaster recovery software.
The Sensex at the BSE was up 39.70 points or 0.2 per cent to 20,122.32, its highest closing level since January 6, 2011.
The index gained 64.21 points at the day's high and fell 27.44 points at the day's low. The 50-unit CNX Nifty was up 12.50 points or 0.21 per cent to 6,107.25, its highest closing level since January 4, 2011. The index hit a high of 6,114.55 in intraday trade.
The index hit a low of 6,084.15 in intraday trade.