Mumbai: The equity markets in India advanced on Thursday as the Indian rupee recovered sharply to trade below the 67-per-dollar levels and global markets gained.
The 30-share BSE benchmark Sensex provisionally closed 1.72%, or 309.72 points, higher at 18,305.87, while the National Stock Exchange’s broader 50-share index, the Nifty, rose 1.89%, or 99.80 points, to 5,384.80.
The Sensex opened 0.43%, or 105.75 points, higher at 18,073.66 against its Wednesday’s close of 17,996.15.
The gainers included Housing Development Finance Corp. Ltd (HDFC), up 5.73% to Rs.691.60, Sesa Goa Ltd which rose 12.09% to Rs.190.05, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) gained 3.32% to Rs.838.05 and Larsen and Toubro Ltd which gained 1.95% to Rs.718.50.
Among the losers were, Coal India Ltd, down 1.79% to Rs.249.60, and Infosys Ltd which declined 1.58% to Rs.3,071.
Among sectoral indices, the BSE Oil and Gas index gained the most, 2.86% to 8,094.62 points, while the BSE Realty index lost the most, 0.36% to 1,174.45 points.
The rupee was trading at 67.42 per dollar, up 2.09% from its previous close of 68.83.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday said it will sell the US currency to Indian Oil Corp. Ltd, Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd and Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd, which the central bank will repurchase after a specified period. The measure, effective immediately, will extend until further notice and will be available to the companies through a designated bank, the RBI said.
