Day of mixed trends

STOCKS REPORT

Moving in an intra-day range of 59 points, the benchmark Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Sensex closed with a gain of 18.85 points at 5,862.82. The Sensex touched a high of 5,903.13 and a low of 5,843.77 in intra-day trades. The breadth of the market was positive with gainers outpacing losers 1,078:718.

The BSE Teck index rose 1.49 per cent to 1,282.33 points, while the IT sector index gained 0.99 per cent and the consumer durables sector index rose 0.97 per cent.

The National Stock Exchange (NSE) Nifty gained 7 points to close at 1,868.95.

Turnover in the cash segments of the bourses was low with the BSE recording Rs 2,066.61 crore and the NSE recorded Rs 4,649.23 crore.

Displaying mixed trends today, the market rode on a tech-driven rise initially but selling pressure in other bluechips pulled the Sensex down in afternoon trades.

Players indicate cautious optimism with the results season on. Kashyap Pujara of Sushil Finance Consultants, said, "market may remain range-bound in the near term but the trend is definitely bullish." Satyam Computer was up 2.15 per cent to Rs 334.25, Wipro was up 1.68 per cent to Rs 1,624.50 and Infosys Technologies was up 1.08 per cent to Rs 5,392.25.

Zee Telefilms gained 7.84 per cent to Rs 141.70. MTNL was up 4.26 per cent to Rs 151.70. Bajaj Auto gained 2.61 per cent to Rs 930.45.

ACC was up 1.68 per cent to Rs 278.80 and Grasim was up 1.21 per cent to Rs 1,186.70 and Gujarat Ambuja Cements closed at Rs 330.05, up 0.12 per cent over its previous close.

Reliance Energy gained 0.92 per cent to Rs 776.50.

Pantaloon Retail hit the upper circuit of 10 per cent at Rs 404.35.

HDFC was down 2.68 per cent to Rs 637.95 and HDFC Bank was down 0.81 per cent to Rs 378.35.

Zuari Industries gained 7.78 per cent to Rs 40.85, GSFC was up 6.96 per cent to Rs 64.55, Chambal Fertilisers was up 6.01 per cent to Rs 20.30 and Coromandal Fertilisers was up 5.49 per cent to Rs 20.30.

Analysts said that fertiliser stocks rose on expectations of recording good performance on back of normal monsoon this year.