Sensex up by 30 pts; investors await inflation Nos

The BSE benchmark index Sensex today gained 30 points to close at 21,856.22 in volatile trade, with investors now waiting for clear direction from latest IIP and inflation numbers which will be released later in the day.

Selective pharma, FMCG and consumer durable and banking stocks were in demand, while capital goods, refinery, auto and power stocks registered losses.

The 30-share index Sensex resumed the day lower in line with weak Asian trends and moved erratically before settling at 21,856.22, up by 29.80 points from its previous close.

Yesterday, it had snapped five days of gains by ending 108 points lower.

The NSE 50-issue Nifty also edged up by five points to end at 6,516.90. Meanwhile, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bought shares worth net Rs 1,471.23 crore yesterday, as per provisional data from stock exchanges.

Pharmaceuticals major, Sun Pharma, was the top Sensex gainer of the day at 4.08 per cent as its subsidiary Caraco has received approval from US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Risperidone oral tablets. FMCG and cigarettes giant ITC rose 2.08 per cent and emerged as the biggest contributor to the Sensex gain.

"Markets were seen ending on flat note as investors preferred to sit on sidelines ahead of IIP data and CPI inflation figure, which is due post market today," Jayant Manglik, President-retail distribution, Religare Securities Limited, said.

Official industry output figures for January and consumer price (retail) inflation numbers for February are expected to be released post market hours. Of 30 Sensex shares, 13 ended higher while 17 others closed lower.

Other major Sensex were, Hero MotoCorp 2.16 per cent, Coal India 1.64 per cent, TCS 1.33 per cent, Tata Power 1.28 per cent, Wipro 1.15 per cent and ICICI Bank 1.03 per cent.

BHEL dropped 2.70 per cent, followed by Tata Motors 2.35 per cent, Hindalco 2.34 per cent, SBI 1.81 per cent, ONGC 1.72 per cent, Axis Bank 1.44 per cent, Tata Steel 1.32 per cent, SSLT 1.15 per cent, Bajaj Auto 1.06 per cent, Bharti Airtel 1.01 per cent and L&T 0.91 per cent.

Among the S&P BSE sectoral indices, healthcare rose by 1.23 per cent, followed by FMCG 1.22 per cent, consumer durables 0.86 per cent and IT 0.56 per cent, while consumer goods fell by 0.73 per cent, Oil&Gas 0.73 per cent, auto 0.66 per cent and Power 0.58 per cent.

Total market breadth remained negative as 1,440 stocks closed in the red, while 1,312 concluded in the green. Total turnover declined further to Rs 2,454.86 crore from Rs 2,696.52 crore yesterday.

Asian stocks closed lower as emerging market and commodity linked currencies weakened amid concerns that China's economy may be faltering. The key benchmark indices in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan ended down in the range of 0.17 per cent  and 2.59 per cent.

European markets too were trading weak in their late morning deals on some negative corporate results. The CAC was down by 1.18 per cent, the DAX by 1.09 per cent and the FTSE by 0.78 per cent.