Global cues drive stock markets up

Global cues drive stock markets up
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Highlights

Helped by strong opening in European markets, Indian bourses reversed their early losses to end in positive zone on Wednesday. Fall in exports dampened the sentiment earlier in the day even as global markets waited for outcome of the US Federal Reserve\'s policy meet.

Sensex reverses early losses to climb 131 points

Mumbai: Helped by strong opening in European markets, Indian bourses reversed their early losses to end in positive zone on Wednesday. Fall in exports dampened the sentiment earlier in the day even as global markets waited for outcome of the US Federal Reserve's policy meet.

Markets in Europe were higher in afternoon trade as indices in France, Germany and the UK moved up by 0.26 per cent to 0.65 per cent. The 30-share benchmark BSE Sensex remained in the negative zone for most part of the session and hit a low of 24,354.55.

However, on across-the-board buying in late session, the index recovered to end at 24,682.48, up 131.31 points or 0.53 per cent. The gauge had lost 253.11 points in Tuesday's session.

The 50-issue NSE Nifty after crossing the crucial 7,500- mark advanced to a high of 7,508 and finally settled 38.15 points or 0.51 per cent higher at 7,498.75. Shares of branded jewellery firms witnessed selling after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley rejected the demand to roll back 1 per cent excise duty on non-silver jewellery.

Rajesh Exports slumped 11.70 per cent, Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri shed 2.71 per cent, PC Jewellers dropped 2.40 per cent and Titan slipped 1.21 per cent. Meanwhile, country's exports shrunk for a 15th straight month by 5.66 per cent in February to $20.73 billion due to contraction in shipments of petroleum and engineering goods.

ICICI Bank topped the Sensex gainers by surging 2.30 per cent at Rs 226.45 followed by ITC at 1.66 per cent. Sector-wise, the BSE banking index gained the most by surging 0.88 per cent followed by IT 0.86 per cent, FMCG 0.81 per cent, tech 0.55 per cent and healthcare 0.30 per cent. While mid-cap fell by 0.41 per cent, small-cap shed 0.17 per cent.

Overseas, Asian markets ended mixed as investors remained cautious ahead of the outcome of US Federal Reserve's monetary policy meeting. Key indices in China, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan firmed up by 0.17 per cent to 1.02 per cent while indices in Hong Kong and Japan eased between 0.15 per cent and 0.83 per cent.

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