Sensex ends 222 pts higher, Nifty tops 15,150; RIL gains 4%, PSB stocks dip

Stock market updates: Frontline indices snapped their 2-day losing streak and ended higher in a lacklustre trade on Thursday amid stock-specific bets by investors. Volatility index, India VIX, eased around 4 per cent to end at 23 levels.

Propelled by over 4 per cent gain in Reliance Industries, and over 1 per cent gain each in HUL, Bajaj Finance, and Bharti Airtel, the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex advanced 222 points, or 0.43 per cent, at close to settle at 51,531.5 level on the BSE. RIL, Sun Pharma, Bajaj Finance, Nestle India, and Power Grid ended the day as top gainers on the Sensex while Titan (down 2.45 per cent), L&T, HDFC Bank, ITC, and ONGC were the top laggards.

Around 18 of the 30 constituents ended the day in the green on the Sensex. Overall, 1,725 stocks advanaced on the BSE, 1,261 declined, and 140 remained unchanged. 

NSE's Nifty50, on the other hand, ended the day at 15,173-mark, up 67 points or 0.44 per cent.

In the broader markets, smallcap stocks were leading from the front. The S&P BSE SmallCap index outperformed today with 1.06 per cent gain on the BSE while the S&P BSE MidCap index settled 0.45 per cent higher.

On the sectoral front, Nifty PSU Bank index declined over 1 per cent on the NSE, followed by losses in the Nifty Auto index (down 0.4 per cent), and the Nifty Realty index (down 0.24 per cent). On the upside, the Nifty FMCG index and the Nifty Metal index closed 0.85 per cent higher each.

Global markets

Asian shares rested at record highs on Thursday as investors digested recent meaty gains, while bulls were sustained by the promise of endless free money after a benign reading on U.S. inflation and a dovish Federal Reserve outlook.

Adding to the torpor was a lack of liquidity as markets in China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan were all on holiday.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan added 0.1 per cent. Japan's Nikkei was shut after ending at a 30-year peak on Wednesday, while Australia's main index held near an 11-month top.

(With inputs from Reuters)