Equity indices close higher after volatile session, Reliance up 4.4 pc

Equity benchmark indices ended higher in volatile trading on Thursday with metal stocks gaining ground and PSU banks taking a beating.

The BSE S&P Sensex closed 222 points or 0.43 per cent higher at 51,532 while the Nifty 50 edged higher by 67 points or 0.44 per cent to 15,173.

Sectoral indices at the National Stock Exchange were mixed Nifty metal up by 1 per cent, FMCG by 0.8 per cent and IT by 0.6 per cent. But Nifty PSU bank dropped by 1.2 per cent and auto by 0.4 per cent.

Among stocks, index heavyweight Reliance Industries moved up by 4.4 per cent to wind up the day at Rs 2,061.80 per share and metal major Hindalco gained by 5.5 per cent to Rs 294.80.

Sun Pharma ticked up by 2.6 per cent, Ad Ports by 2.3 per cent, GAIL by 2.1 per cent, Power Grid by 1.8 per cent and Britannia by 1.3 per cent.

However, Eicher Motors dropped by 2.5 per cent and Tata Motors by 1.2 per cent. Titan, ONGC, Coal India, JSW Steel and HDFC Life were in the negative territory.

Meanwhile, Asian shares rested at record highs as investors digested recent meaty gains.

Adding to the torpor was a lack of liquidity as markets in China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan were all on holiday.

( With inputs from ANI )