Sensex closes up 173 points on value buying of metal, auto and energy stocks

Mumbai: Market benchmark Sensex rebounded by over 173 points to finish at 26,899.56 on Tuesday as domestic investors heavily bought into recently battered metal, auto and oil & gas stocks amid a higher opening of the European markets.

Sensex snapped its two-day falling streak, supported by value-buying in select blue-chip stocks amid mixed global cues. The gauge had lost 151.69 points in the previous two sessions ahead of earnings season and macroeconomic numbers due this week amid looming fears of a slowdown in the country’s GDP growth.

Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) were net buyers as they bought shares worth Rs96.82 crore, while Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPIs) offloaded shares amounting to Rs325.10 crore, provisional data showed. However, concerns prevailed ahead of earnings season and macroeconomic data, to be released later this week. The BSE benchmark Sensex opened higher at 26,811.63 and hovered in a range of 26,914.95 to 26,804.17 before finishing at 26,899.56, showing a gain of 173.01 points or 0.65%.

Sentiment was, however, subdued ahead of India’s budget, scheduled on 1 February, and caution ahead of key global events such as Donald Trump’s swearing-in as US president later this month. “Markets are consolidating like they have been in the past couple of weeks and are in a very narrow range as they wait for the quarterly results and for Donald Trump to take over as president of the US,” said Dipen Shah, senior vice president, public client group research, Kotak Securities.

Bombay Stock Exchange - BSE

National Stock Exchange of India Ltd (NSE)