Stock markets update: Equity benchmark indices opened higher in early trade on Friday amid positive global cues. In the early trade, the 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 203.52 points to 72,607.69. Meanwhile, the Nifty declined was also up by 83.7 points to 22,041.20 points.
Major gainers and laggards
From the Sensex basket, ITC, Axis Bank, NTPC, JSW Steel, Hindustan Unilever, Asian Paints, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Industries were the biggest gainers. Infosys, HDFC Bank, HCL Technologies and Larsen & Toubro were the laggards. In Asian markets, Seoul, Tokyo and Hong Kong were trading with gains while Shanghai quoted lower. Wall Street ended in positive territory on Thursday.
Global oil benchmark Brent crude climbed 0.55 per cent to USD 84.34 a barrel. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 6,994.86 crore on Thursday, according to exchange data.
Rupee against dollar
The rupee was trading in a narrow range against the US dollar in early trade on Friday, as the support from positive domestic equities was negated by elevated crude oil prices. Forex traders said the strength of the American currency in the overseas market and significant foreign fund outflows dented investors' sentiments. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the local unit opened at 83.48, it touched 83.46 in the initial trade, registering a gain of 2 paise from its previous close.
(With PTI inputs)
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