Equities close in green; banks, healthcare stocks lift sentiments

Mumbai: Breaking a seven-day-long losing streak, key Indian equity indices on Thursday closed in the green on the back of positive European markets and short covering in banking, metals and healthcare stocks.

However, volatility was induced in the markets intra-day on September derivatives expiry as investors booked profits in consumer durables, capital goods, and oil and gas stocks.

The wider 51-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) rose by 22.55 points or 0.23 per cent to provisionally close at 9,758.30 points (at 3.30 p.m.).

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index of the BSE, which opened at 31,216.36 points, closed at 31,282.48 points -- up 122.67 points, or 0.39 per cent.

Also Read: Key Indian equity market indices open higher, BSE goes up

The Sensex touched a high of 31,340.91 points and a low of 31,081.83 points during intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was bullish -- with 1,537 advances and 976 declines.

On Wednesday, the benchmark indices tumbled for the seventh consecutive session and closed deep in the red, as caution ahead of futures and options (F&O) expiry, coupled with a weak rupee, hampered investors' risk-taking appetite.

The Sensex closed at 31,159.81 points -- down 439.95 points, or 1.39 per cent, while the Nifty fell by 135.75 points, or 1.38 per cent, to close at 9,735.75 points.

--IANS