Sensex gains 133 points, healthcare stocks rise

A benchmark index of the Indian equities market closed Friday's trade 133 points up, as healthcare and automobile stocks gained.

This was the fifth straight consecutive gain that the Sensex made. It was also the highest weekly gain that it made since the end of November. The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 20,995.39 points, closed at 21,120.12 points, up 133.13 points or 0.63 percent from the previous day's close at 20,986.99 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 21,140.51 points and a low of 20,989.66 points in the day's trade. The wider 50-scrip NIFTY of the national stock exchange (NSE) closed 38.15 points or 0.61 percent up at 6,276.95 points. "Sensex ended the week on a firm note. Going ahead, the markets would continue to follow developments on the political scene," said Sanjeev Zarbade, vice president, Kotak Securities.

The S&P BSE healthcare index was up 240.46 points, followed by automobile index, up 170.83 points; information technology (IT) index, up 139.05 points; capital goods index, up 121.15 points; and metal index, up 84.98 points. However, the consumer durables index was down 40.08 points, followed by the fast moving consumer durables (FMCG) index, which ended 21.71 points lower.

The prominent Sensex gainers were Hindalco Inds, up 6.86 percent at Rs.105.10; Tata Motors, up 4.15 percent at Rs.417.05; Tata Consultancy Services, up 4.14 percent at Rs.2,272.80; BHEl, up 3.18 percent at Rs.167.20; and ONGC, up 2.68 percent at Rs.291.55.

The major losers included Maruti Suzuki, down 4.54 percent at Rs.1,586.30; NTPC, down 2.51 percent at Rs.112.60; Tata Steel, down 1.49 percent at Rs.344.05; Reliance Industries, down 1.39 percent at Rs.799.25; and HDFC Bank, down 1.32 percent at Rs.667.50. Among the Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 0.54 percent down, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng was higher by 0.54 percent. China's Shanghai Composite Index rose by 0.35 percent. 

In Europe, london's FTSE 100 was trading 0.26 percent down. Germany's DAX Index was also lower by 0.14 percent, and the French CAC 40 Index declined 0.27 percent.  , Feb 28 (IANS) India made 264 for nine in 50 overs against Sri lanka in the fourth ODI of the Asia Cup cricket tournament at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium here Friday. Shikhar Dhawan made 94 while skipper Virat Kohli struck 48. 

Sri lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis bagged four wickets for 60 runs while Sachithra Senanayake picked up three for 41.