Sensex up 131.47 points, IT stocks gain (Roundup)

Mumbai, April 30 (IANS) A benchmark index for Indian equities markets Monday closed 131.47 points higher, helped by supportive global cues and good buying interest in information technology (IT) stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened in the positive at 17,195.51 points, closed at 17,318.81, up 0.76 percent or 131.47 points from its previous close at 17,187.34.

The Sensex touched a high of 17,359.18 points and low of 17,195.51 points in intra-day trade. The midcap was up 43.52 points and the smallcap grew by 38.45 points.

The broad-based 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was 0.75 percent or 39.15 points up at 5,248.15 points.

Sensex IT sectoral index was up 131.93 points followed by metals index by 97.47 points, and oil and gas index which gained 82.97 points.

Prominent Sensex gainers were TCS, up 3.49 percent at Rs.1,244.90; Jindal Steel, up 3.41 percent at Rs.502.70; Infosys, up 2.75 percent at Rs.2,462.60; DLF, up 2.61 percent at Rs.186.90; and Hero MotoCorp, up 2.35 percent at Rs.2,234.90.

Maruti Suzuki's scrip was down 1.95 percent at Rs.1,369.90. The passenger car major Saturday reported a three percent decline in net profit which stood at Rs.639.8 crore for the fourth quarter of 2011-12.

Other major Sensex losers included BHEL, down 1.94 percent at Rs.224.90; Mahindra and Mahindra, down 0.64 percent at Rs.710.15; ITC, down 0.61 percent at Rs.245.25; HDFC, down 0.50 percent at Rs.674; and Wipro, down 0.32 percent at Rs.405.10.

Earlier, Asian shares rose as weaker-than-expected US growth data raised hopes of more monetary stimulus from the Federal Reserve. Hang Seng index gained nearly 2 percent, while Taiwan and Kospi gained 0.3 percent each. The Japanese and Chinese markets closed.

The European markets were also trading in the green when the markets here closed.

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