Profit sales clip gains

STOCKS REPORT

Consumer durables, information technology and FMCG scrips were the biggest gainers on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) yesterday while pharma, PSU and auto counters were the biggest losers.

The Sensex closed flat at 5929.60, down 0.01 per cent (0.87 points) from Monday's close. Volumes were lower. The index hit an intra-day high of 5957.94 and a low of 5910.41.

Blue-chips saw some selling pressure, with 18 out of the 30 stocks in the Sensex basket closing lower. The broader market also reflected the weak sentiment, with losers outpacing gainers 11:7.

Brokers said some profit booking was expected after the recent rally. However, select buying was witnessed at lower levels.

Players are hoping that the current positive run would carry the market above the 6000 levels by the end of this week, which also marks the beginning of the new 'Vikram Samvat'.

Regular trading is closed on Friday on account of Diwali but a muhurat trading session will be held.

The BSE healthcare index was the biggest loser, down 1.57 per cent, followed by the PSU index (down 1.01 per cent) and the auto index (down 0.89 per cent). The BSE consumer durables index was the biggest gainer, up 1.54 per cent, followed by the IT index, up 0.87 per cent and the FMCG index gained 0.35 per cent.

Ranbaxy Labs was the biggest loser in the Sensex basket, down 3.67 per cent to close at Rs 1080.35, followed by BHEL (down 2.18 per cent to Rs 616), Grasim (down 1.77 per cent to Rs 1116.40), Tata Motors (down 1.26 per cent to Rs 424.30) and State Bank of India (down 1.24 per cent to Rs 490.05).

HDFC was the biggest gainer in the Sensex basket (up 3.97 per cent to close at Rs 705.80), followed by Satyam Computer (up 2.47 per cent to Rs 399.75), HDFC Bank (up 1.27 per cent to Rs 457.55), Guj Ambuja Cements (up 1.25 per cent to Rs 351.95) and Infosys Technologies (up 0.85 per cent to Rs 2035.25).

Foreign institutional investors were net buyers of shares worth Rs 295 crore while domestic mutual funds were net sellers to the tune of Rs 92.10 crore on Monday.

Turnover was lower than on Monday in the cash segment of the bourses on Tuesday; the BSE reported a turnover of Rs 1743.84 crore and the National Stock Exchange reported a turnover of Rs 3753.77 crore.