Defying a weak stock market, shares of Indraprastha Gas Ltd today surged as much as 5.5% as the company raised prices of compressed natural gas (CNG) by Rs 2.9 per kg in the national capital and adjoining towns.
Shares of IGL climbed 5.5% to Rs 255.10 on the BSE, whereas the stock was up 4.21% at Rs 252.10 on the NSE.
In terms of volume, 2.68 lakh shares of the company changed hands on the BSE, while over 10 lakh shares were traded on the NSE.
IGL said the increase was necessitated because of fall in value of the rupee and rising cost of imported gas.
The hike had been necessitated because IGL is buying more of imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) after supplies from Reliance Industries' KG-D6 gas fields dried up. Imported fuel costs at least three times more than $4.20 per million British thermal unit rate fixed for domestic gas.
The uptrend in the stock outperformed the weak broader market where the Sensex was trading at 17,394.69, down 126.43 points at 1207 hours.