Equities close with gains; durables, IT stocks top gainers

Mumbai: Value buying in consumer durables, oil and gas as well as IT stocks lifted the key Indian equity indices on Friday although profit booking in metals sector capped the gains.

The wider Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) provisionally closed (at 3.30 p.m.) higher by 44.65 points or 0.43 per cent at 10,393.40 points.

The barometer 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 33,670 points, closed at 33,679.24 points -- up 91.16 points or 0.27 per cent -- from its Thursday's close.

The Sensex touched a high of 33,738.53 points and a low of 33,639.98 during intra-day trade.

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The BSE market breadth was bullish -- 1,510 advances and 1,225 declines.

According to market observers, index heavyweights like Infosys, Mahindra & Mahindra, Bajaj Auto, Kotak Bank and Sun Pharma (on BSE) added to the upward trajectory.

On Thursday, the benchmark indices closed in the green for the sixth consecutive session on the back of healthy buying in IT and Teck (technology, media and entertainment) stocks as well as a strong rupee.

The NSE Nifty50 was up 6.45 points or 0.06 per cent to close at 10,348.75 points while the Sensex closed higher by 26.53 points or 0.08 per cent at 33,588.08 points.