Sensex, Nifty end higher for fifth day in volatile trade

Investors are focusing on key macroeconomic data, including retail inflation and industrial production numbers due on Thursday and corporate results starting Friday.

Rising for the fifth straight session, market benchmark Sensex gained 60 points to end at 33,940 in see-saw trade on Wednesday, led by gains in metal, IT and consumer durables counters amid mixed Asian cues.

Traders are cautious ahead of the earnings season beginning Friday with Infosys, and as the US Federal Reserve will release minutes of its 20-21 March meeting on Wednesday. (Reuters File Photo)

Sustained buying by domestic institutional investors (DIIs) and a mixed trend at other Asian bourses following overnight gains at the Wall Street helped key indices close in the positive zone, brokers said.

Investors are focusing on key macroeconomic data, including retail inflation and industrial production numbers due on Thursday and corporate results starting Friday.

The 30-share Sensex resumed higher and advanced to 33,981.54, but soon slipped on profit-taking to touch a low of 33,750.74, before settling up 60.19 points, or 0.18 per cent, at 33,940.44. The gauge had gained 861.18 points in the previous four sessions.

The NSE 50-share index, after moving between 10,428.15 and 10,355.60 on alternate bouts of selling and buying, finally concluded at 10,417.15, up 14.90 points, or 0.14 per cent.

DIIs were net buyers as they bought shares worth Rs 653.65 crore on Tuesday, while foreign portfolio investors sold to the tune of Rs 684.99 crore, provisional data showed.