Sensex rises 20 points; metal, auto index up

Mumbai - A benchmark index of Indian equities markets was up for the third straight day Wednesday, trading 20 points higher in afternoon trade.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,638.53 points, was ruling at 17,622.17 points, 0.12 percent or 20.39 points up from its previous day's close at 17,601.78 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 17,679.37 points and a low of 17,605.62 points. BSE midcap was up 9.42 points and the small cap was 11.53 points.

The BSE metal index was up 150.02 points, followed by the auto index, up 91.84 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was ruling 0.16 percent at 5,345 points.

The major Sensex gainers were Hindalco Inds, up 2.36 percent at Rs.121.55; Mahindra & Mahindra, up 1.91 percent at Rs.708.75; Jindal Steel, up 1.87 percent at Rs.414.35; Tata Motors, up 1.51 percent at Rs.242.35 and Sterlite Inds, up 1.44 percent at Rs.105.80.

The main Sensex losers were Gail India, down 2.23 percent at Rs.369; Bharti Airtel, down 2.13 percent at Rs.287.55; ONGC, down 1.63 percent at Rs.278.20; TCS, down 0.93 percent at Rs.1,252.90 and Dr Reddys Lab, down 0.77 percent at Rs.1,644.60.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei was up 0.88 percent while Shanghai's composite index was 0.16 percent higher. Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down 0.25 percent.