Benchmark equity indices traded higher on Tuesday, rebounding from the previous session’s losses, led by gains in banking and financial stocks after the Reserve Bank of India announced USD-INR forex swap facilities to attract foreign currency inflows.
Positive global cues also supported sentiment as easing tensions between Israel and Iran improved risk appetite across markets. Softer crude oil prices and gains in Asian and US equities further aided the recovery.
The BSE Sensex , while the Nifty 50 gained 136 points at the open.
At 12.32 pm, the Sensex was up 228.68 points or 0.31 per cent at 73,752.94, while the Nifty 50 rose 89.10 points or 0.39 per cent to 23,212.10.
Banking and financial stocks led the rally following the RBI’s Monday evening announcement of forex swap facilities. Sectorally, the PSU Bank, financial services and defence indices outperformed. Auto, realty and chemical stocks also traded with marginal gains, while IT and media were the only sectors in the red.
Broader markets remained firm, with both the Nifty Midcap and Smallcap indices rising around 1 per cent.
IndiGo, Jio, SBI, ICICI lead gainers
Among the Nifty 50 stocks, , ,, and were among the top gainers. Titan, NTPC, Power Grid and Tech Mahindra declined the most.
The market breadth remained strong, with 2,268 stocks advancing and 868 declining out of 3,243 traded stocks on the NSE. Around 63 stocks hit 52-week highs, while 37 touched 52-week lows. In addition, 71 stocks hit their upper circuits and 69 touched their lower circuits.
Midcap & smallcap movers today
In the midcap segment, PI Industries, GVT&D, Motilal Oswal Financial Services, Tata Communications and Tube Investments gained between 3 per cent and 5 per cent, while Oracle Financial Services Software, Oil India and Hitachi Energy declined.
Among smallcaps, Ola Electric, Data Patterns, Redington, Aster DM Healthcare and Welspun Corp rose 4-9 per cent, while Tata Technologies, Aptus Value Housing Finance and PWL slipped up to 4 per cent.
On the BSE, Morepen Laboratories surged over 15 per cent, while Kitex Garments, Tata Technologies and NLC India fell 3-6 per cent.
settled 0.97 per cent lower at 73,524.26, and declined 1.04 per cent to close at 23,123.