Closing Bell: Sensex Ends 143 Points Higher, Nifty At 17,813

Asian Paints was the top gainer in the Sensex platform, rising 1.79 per cent, followed by TCS, Nestle India, Ultratech Cement, ICICI Bank, and Reliance Industries

New Delhi: In a volatile session on Friday, key benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, swung between gains and losses amid rising threat of Covid-19 and global cues.

The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 143 points to close at 59,745, while the broader NSE Nifty settled 67 points higher at 17,813.

Sensex switched between gains and losses throughout the day before settling in the positive zone.

The broader markets outperformed the benchmarks for a second straight day with the BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices ending around 0.5 per cent higher each.

Asian Paints was the top gainer in the Sensex platform, rising 1.79 per cent, followed by TCS, Nestle India, Ultratech Cement, ICICI Bank, and Reliance Industries.

On the other hand, Bajaj Finserv, M&M, Bajaj Finance, HDFC and Titan were among the laggards.

10 out of 15 sector gauges, compiled by the National Stock Exchange, settled in green. Nifty Bank, Nifty Private Bank, and Nifty Metal soared as much as 0.67 per cent.

Elsewhere in Asia, bourses in Hong Kong and Seoul ended with gains, while Shanghai and Tokyo were in the red.

The European markets have started traded on a tepid note. The FTSE 100 and CAC 40 were down 0.1 per cent each, while the DAX 30 had declined 0.3 per cent. International oil benchmark Brent crude advanced 0.94 per cent to $82.76 per barrel.

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were net sellers in the capital market on Thursday, as they sold shares worth Rs 1,926.77 crore, according to stock exchange data.