Market update: Sensex closes 33 points up in choppy trade, Nifty reclaims 8,200-mark

The key market indices registered their first rise in three days on Friday, with the benchmark Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) index Sensex rising over 33 points to close at 27,241.78 and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) Nifty reclaiming the 8,200-mark.

Trading sentiment got a boost after President Pranab Mukherjee signed two ordinances - one to pave the way for additional foreign investment in insurance and the other to move ahead with the re-allocation of coal blocks cancelled by the Supreme Court.

The 30-issue BSE barometer resumed higher following beginning of January series in the derivatives segment. The gauge gradually started to slip and logged due to heavy foreign capital outflows. Later, the Sensex wiped off losses completely and settled the day at 27,241.78, with a rise of 33.17 points (or 0.12 per cent).

In the previous two trading sessions, the BSE index had shed 493.18 points.

A smart rise towards the fag-end in stocks of Tata Consultance Services (TCS), HDFC, Larsen and Toubro (L&T), Sun Pharma, Hindalco, Sesa Sterlite, State Bank of India (SBI), Infosys, HDFC Bank, Tata Steel and Reliance Industries (RIL) mainly helped the market to reverse the two-session falling trend.

The broader 50-share NSE index Nifty, after falling to an intra-day low of 8,147.95, staged a strong comeback to regain the 8,200-mark. It close 26.60 points (or 0.33 per cent) higher from its previous close at 8,200.70.

Brokers said absence of cues from the global markets, which remained closed on account of Christmas holidays and approaching year-end, forced major players to refrain from enlarging their positions in a big way.

Of the 30 Sensex scrips, 15 closed higher, while 15 ended lower led by shares of Maruti Suzuki, BHEL, ITC, Hind Unilever, Cipla and ICICI Bank.

Sector-wise, the BSE realty index gained the most by rising 0.93 per cent, followed by IT index (0.85 per cent), Metal index (0.58 per cent), PSU index (0.48 per cent), Capital Goods (0.27 per cent), Healthcare indes (0.26 per cent), Banking index (0.13 per cent) and Oil & Gas index (0.07 per cent).

Buying activity also spread to small- and mid-cap stocks, with the Mid-cap index gaining 0.41 per cent and the small-cap index up 0.02 per cent.

Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 2,808.27 crore on Wednesday, according to provisional data available with domestic bourses.