Sensex up 73 points in opening trade

Stock markets opened on a positive note on the last trading day of 2013 with the benchmark BSE Sensex rising over 73 points in early trade on selective buying by funds.

The 30-share index rose 73.78 points, or 0.35 per cent, to trade higher at 21,216.79 points with stocks of auto, healthcare, capital goods and metal sectors rising.

The Sensex had lost 50.57 points in the previous session.

During 2013, the 30-stock index shot up nearly 9 per cent, while Nifty rose almost 7 per cent.The broad-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty rose 13.30 points, or 0.21 per cent, to 6,304.40.

Brokers said selective buying in index-related stocks by participants and a firming trend on other Asian bourses mainly helped Sensex to trade in the positive territory.

In the Asian region, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose 0.36 per cent, while Shanghai gained 0.70 per cent in early trade today. Japan's Tokyo Stock Exchange is closed today for a public holiday.

The US Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at another record high of 16,504.29, up 0.16 per cent, in yesterday's trade.