Stock markets update: Equity benchmark indices opened with marginal gains in early trade on Thursday amid positive global cues. In the early trade, the 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 31 points to 80,250. Meanwhile, the Nifty was also up by 2 points to 24,250.
At the start of today’s trading session, sectors such as Realty, FMCG, and Media saw gains of 1% each, while the IT index experienced a decline of 1%. On the Nifty, companies like Adani Enterprises, HDFC Life, Adani Ports, HUL, and Coal India were major gainers, while Eicher Motors, M&M, Infosys, Cipla, and Trent witnessed declines. The BSE Midcap Index was trading in the green, reflecting positive sentiment in mid-cap stocks.
From the 30-share Sensex pack, HDFC Bank, Adani Ports, ITC, State Bank of India, Hindustan Unilever, Tata Motors, IndusInd Bank and Tata Steel were among the gainers. Tech Mahindra, Infosys, HCL Technologies, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Consultancy Services and Power Grid were among the laggards. Global oil benchmark Brent crude dipped 0.21 per cent to USD 72.68 a barrel.
Rupee against dollar
The rupee fell 7 paise to trade at 84.47 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday weighed down by a muted trend in domestic equities and strength of the American currency in the overseas markets. Forex traders said the latest Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) minutes reveal a significant shift in the Federal Reserve's outlook. The Fed is likely to put downward pressure on short-term interest rates, reducing the appeal of dollar-denominated assets and contributing to the decline in the Dollar Index.
At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 84.45 and moved in a tight range and touched 84.47 against the greenback, registering a fall of 7 paise over its previous close.
(With PTI inputs)
