Smart gains in key blue-chip and technology stocks helped the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) sensex settle higher on Friday. The sensex gained 67.07 points to settle at a six-week high of 3,181.23. Dealers said the sentiment was boosted as foreign institutional investors stepped up their buying on the bourses, after a brief lull.
Meanwhile, at the National Stock Exchange, the S&P CNX Nifty index crossed the 1,000-mark, settling 23.35 points higher at 1,010.60.
Overall, the market breadth was positive, with gainers narrowly outnumbering the losers amid higher volumes.
FMCG major Hindustan Lever rallied 4.62 per cent to Rs 186.70 on fund-based buying. Among other blue-chip stocks, State Bank of India advanced 3.58 per cent to Rs 241.65, while Reliance Industries gained 2.20 per cent to settle at Rs 255.30 on institutional buying.
Technology major Infosys Technologies rose 3.53 per cent to Rs 3,619.05, while Satyam Computer recovered from the day's low of Rs 233.85 on sustained buying. The stock settled 1.48 per cent higher at Rs 240.50.
HCL Technologies also bounced back from a low of Rs 192.05. The scrip settled 0.72 per cent higher at Rs 203.55, after the company announced its Q4 results.
Media major Zee Telefilms was the top gainer on renewed buying. The stock settled 6.91 per cent higher at Rs 110.65.
However, cement stocks remained weak on fears that oversupply and lower demand could exert pressure on cement prices in some markets.
Key stocks such as Larsen & Toubro shed 1.68 per cent to Rs 184.10, while Grasim settled 2.02 per cent lower at Rs 313.20 on selling pressure.
Elsewhere, Tata Steel settled 3.78 per cent higher at Rs 123.6 on sustained buying after the US International Trade Commission rejected a request to impose steep new anti-dumping duties on cold-rolled steel imports from five countries, including India.
Refinery major Hindustan Petroleum too bounced back from the day's low of Rs 263.25, but settled at Rs 273.75, up 2.66 per cent over its previous close.
Other state-owned firms such as Shipping Corporation (up 3.20 per cent to Rs 78.95), Bharat Petroleum (up 1.80 per cent to Rs 24.75), Indian Oil (up 1.87 per cent to Rs 243) and Nalco (up 1.73 per cent to Rs 115.95) also recovered on renewed buying, after Thursday's fall.
