Sensex closes 80 points higher

Mumbai (IANS) - A benchmark index of Indian equities closed 80 points higher, at 20,932.48 points, in volatile trading Tuesday.

The benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) opened at 20,851.91 points and surged to 20,984.08 points in the morning session.

However, the index slipped into red in the afternoon on selling pressure in heavyweights like State Bank of India and Reliance Industries. The index touched a low of 20,762.81 points and high of 20,984.08 points in the intra-day trade.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the 50-share S&P CNX Nifty ended 0.45 percent or 28.35 points higher at 6,301.55.

Most broader markets indices also closed in the positive territory. The BSE midcap index ended 0.38 percent higher at 8,705 points, and the BSE smallcap index closed 0.85 percent higher at 11,148.22 points.

Top Sensex gainers were Hindustan Unilever, up 4.3 percent to 318.90; HDFC Bank, up 2.42 percent to 2,395.25; TCS, up 2.25 percent at 1,092.40; Sterlite Industries, up 2.04 percent at 189.95, and Bharti Airtel, up 1.74
percent at 334.05.

State Bank of India plunged 4.4 percent to 3,271.90. Reliance Industries closed 0.41 percent down at 1,107.45.

Maruti Suzuki, 1.20 percent down at 1,470.65; Reliance Infra, 1.03 percent down at 1,047.35 and ONGC, 0.84 percent down at 1,337.25, were among the major losers among the 30 companies that form the Sensex.