A benchmark index for Indian equities markets witnessed a rangebound session Friday after a sharp post-budget rally.
The 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened sharply higher at 18,622.70 points, pared the gains in the afternoon and was trading at 18,560.82 points, up 0.38 percent or 63.03 points higher from the previous day close of 18,489.76 points.
The benchmark Sensex hit a high of 18,736.97 points and low of 18,526.22 points in the intraday trade so far.
At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty also pared its morning session gains and was trading 0.11 percent higher at 5,542.45 points.
Most sectoral indices were also range-bound with positive bias. The BSE auto index was ruling nearly one percent higher.
Major gainers on the 30-scrip Sensex were: Tata Power, up 2.38 percent at Rs.1,220; Hero Honda, up 2.32 percent at Rs.1,537.05; Bajaj Auto, up 2.17 percent at Rs.1,380 and Reliance Infra, up 2.06 percent at Rs.610.70.
L&T slumped nearly three percent. Jaiprakash Associates, down 2.33 percent at Rs.83.75; Tata Steel, down 0.98 percent at Rs.617.30 and TCS, down 0.91 percent at Rs.1,139.85 were other major Sensex losers.
