Investors rushed to book profits on Friday dragging down the Indian share benchmark indices ahead of two crucial data releases that might change the outlook of the country’s industrial expansion and prices.
Nifty opened up but slipped below the 9,400-level in intra-day trade but reclaimed the mark by end of the session to close at 9,401. The 30-share index Sensex opened higher and came close to 20,300-level but gave up gains and closed down 63 points, or 0.2%, at 30,188.
Foreign fund inflows and domestic investors’ interest are driving up IT, technology, auto and metal sector stocks.
Major gainers include Infosys, Tata Motors, Hero MotoCorp, Cipla, Sun Pharma and TCS.
Besides, optimistic buying by investors ahead of macroeconomic data -- industrial production numbers for March and inflation data for April based on consumer price index (CPI) -- to be announced later in the day, too buoyed sentiments, brokers said.
During the week, the Nifty gained 1.2% while the Sensex was up 1.1%.
In the Asian region, Japan’s Nikkei was down 0.4%, Korea’s Kospi 0.45% and Singapore’s Straits Times Index 0.5%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was up 0.12%, while Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.7% in early trade. .
{{/usCountry}}In the Asian region, Japan’s Nikkei was down 0.4%, Korea’s Kospi 0.45% and Singapore’s Straits Times Index 0.5%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was up 0.12%, while Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.7% in early trade. .
{{/usCountry}}The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.11% lower in yesterday’s trade.