Mumbai, March 29 (IANS) Late selling pressure pulled down a benchmark index for Indian equities Tuesday, which closed with moderate gains. Broader markets too ended tepid amid dull global cues.
The 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 18,949.57 points, closed at 19,117.05 points, up 173.91 points or 0.92 percent from its previous close at 18,943.14 points.
The Sensex had risen to an intra-day high of 19,226.21 points and an intra-day low of 18,944.82 points.
At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty shut shop 0.86 percent higher at 5,736.35 points.
Broader markets ended dull, with the BSE midcap index closing flat and the BSE smallcap moving down 0.44 percent.
All 13 sectoral indices on the BSE ended in the green. Auto, telecom, metal and consumer durables stocks were among the top gainers.
The market breadth was negative, with 1,110 stocks advancing compared to 1,843 scrips on the decline. Seventy stocks remained unchanged.
Among the major gainers on the Sensex were Reliance Communications, up 4.13 percent at Rs.109.55; Maruti Suzuki, up 3.61 percent at Rs.1,245.15; DLF, up 3.26 percent at Rs.255 and Bharti Airtel, up 2.88 percent at Rs.357.80.
There were only two losers on the 30-scrip Sensex: BHEL, down 1.48 percent at Rs.2,066.70 and ICICI Bank, down 0.03 percent at Rs.1,099.05.
According to data available with the Securities and Exchange Board of India, foreign institutional investors bought stocks worth $107.57 million Tuesday.
Most Asian markets ended on the lower side with uneasiness spreading among investors after efforts to curb the nuclear fallout from the almost-wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan seemed to be not working.
The Japanese Nikkei average closed 0.21 percent lower at 9,59.08 points.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed flat at 23,060.36 points, while China's Shanghai Composite ended 0.87 percent lower at 2,958.08 points.
European stocks were in the red around mid-day.
Around mid-day, the French CAC 40 was trading 0.65 percent lower at 3,951.22 points, while Britain's FTSE was ruling 0.27 percent down at 5,888.27 points.
The German DAX was ruling 0.82 percent down at 6,881.47 points.