Key benchmark indices logged modest gains on last trading day of the week on steady buying demand in index pivotals. FMCG stocks gained. The Nifty 50 index settled above 11,600 level.

The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, rose 160.10 points or 0.41% at 38,767.11. The index hit high of 38,818.87 and low of 38,554.79 in intraday trade.

The Nifty 50 index rose 46.75 points or 0.4% at 11,643.45. The index hit high of 11,657.35 and low of 11,578.80 in intraday trade.

The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.29%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index rose 0.37%.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was positive. On the BSE, 1384 shares rose and 1154 shares fell. A total of 165 shares were unchanged.

ITC (up 3.14%), Maruti Suzuki India (up 2.13%), Axis Bank (up 1.61%), Vedanta (up 1.43%) and Hero MotoCorp (up 1.43%) edged higher from the Sensex pack.

Bharti Airtel (down 1.71%), Bajaj Finance (down 1.37%), L&T (down 1.22%), Tata Motors (down 1.08%) and IndusInd Bank (down 0.72%) edged lower from the Sensex pack.

FMCG stocks gained. Britannia Industries (up 1.14%), GlaxoSmithkline Consumer Healthcare (up 1.01%), Dabur India (up 0.81%), Godrej Consumer Products (up 0.53%), Hindustan Unilever (up 0.78%), Marico (up 0.52%), Nestle India (up 1.67%), Jyothy Laboratories (up 3.42%), Bajaj Consumer Care (up 2.34%) and Tata Global Beverages (up 0.16%) rose. Colgate-Palmolive (India) (down 1.21%) and Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Health Care (down 0.24%) fell.

Infosys rose 0.63% ahead of its Q4 March 2019 result today, 12 April 2019.

TCS fell 0.26% ahead of its Q4 March 2019 result today, 12 April 2019.

Prabhat Dairy hit an upper circuit limit of 5% at Rs 82.05. Prabhat Dairy said sale of its shareholding in its wholly-owned step down subsidiary, Sunfresh Agro Industries (SAIPL), to Tirumala Milk Products and the sale and transfer of company's dairy products business by way of slump sale on a going concern basis to SAIPL post completion of transfer of SAIPL shares is successfully completed and closed on 10 April 2019. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 11 April 2019.

Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL) fell 3.21%. Brickwork Ratings India has downgraded the credit ratings on DHFL's facilities/instruments, including secured non-convertible debentures and fixed deposits, aggregating Rs 56,550 crore. The downgrade is on account of limited progress in building up liquidity, selling/ exiting riskier construction finance loans, according to DHFL's stock exchange notice issued after market hours yesterday, 11 April 2019.

On the macro front, industrial production data for February 2019 will be unveiled after market hours today, 12 April 2019. The inflation rate for March 2019 will also be announced today.

Overseas, most European shares declined as investors continue to remain concerned over global growth. Meanwhile, European Union leaders agreed to postpone Brexit until Oct. 31 to allow British Prime Minister Theresa May more time to try to get the U.K.'s Parliament to approve the country's divorce deal.

Asian stocks were trading mixed as caution prevailed ahead of the release of first-quarter corporate earnings.

US stocks were little changed on Thursday as growing anxiety over a global economic slowdown offset upbeat data and investors waited for earnings season to kick into high gear.

In US economic data, new applications for jobless benefits fell to 196,000 in the week ended April 6, the lowest number in 50 years, the Labor Department said.

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