Sensex ends 169 pts higher after fag-end rally

The 30-share BSE index opened on a weak note and gyrated over 600 points during the day. However, it gained ground in the last hour of the session to finish at 40,794.74, up 169.23 points or 0.42 per cent.

Mumbai: Rallying for the 10th straight session, equity benchmark Sensex ended 169 points higher on Wednesday, led by gains in financial stocks amid largely positive cues from global markets.

The 30-share BSE index opened on a weak note and gyrated over 600 points during the day. However, it gained ground in the last hour of the session to finish at 40,794.74, up 169.23 points or 0.42 per cent. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty rose 36.55 points or 0.31 per cent to 11,971.05.

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Bajaj Finserv was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rising around 4 per cent, followed by Bajaj Finance, ICICI Bank, IndusInd Bank, Tata Steel, Axis Bank, HDFC and SBI. On the other hand, NTPC, ONGC, Tech Mahindra, PowerGrid, Infosys and HCL Tech were among the major laggards.

On the global front, bourses in Hong Kong and Seoul ended higher, while Shanghai and Tokyo were in the red. Stock exchanges in Europe were trading on a positive note in early deals.

Meanwhile, international oil benchmark Brent crude was trading 0.09 per cent lower at $42.41 per barrel. In the forex market, the rupee edged 4 paise higher to close at 73.31 against the US dollar.