India stocks higher at close of trade; Nifty 50 up 0.30%

Investing.com – India stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Banking, Consumer Durables and Healthcare sectors led shares higher.

At the close in NSE, the Nifty 50 gained 0.30%, while the BSE Sensex 30 index climbed 0.23%.

The best performers of the session on the Nifty 50 were Grasim Industries Ltd (NS:GRAS), which rose 5.92% or 121.75 points to trade at 2,179.05 at the close. Meanwhile, State Bank Of India (NS:SBI) added 3.67% or 25.70 points to end at 725.25 and Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Ltd. (NS:APLH) was up 3.25% or 202.75 points to 6,433.75 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Mahindra&Mahindra Ltd. (NS:MAHM), which fell 2.34% or 39.50 points to trade at 1,646.40 at the close. Bharti Airtel Ltd. (NS:BRTI) declined 1.92% or 21.90 points to end at 1,120.25 and Oil And Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (NS:ONGC) was down 1.85% or 5.05 points to 268.10.

The top performers on the BSE Sensex 30 were State Bank Of India (BO:SBI) which rose 3.55% to 724.25, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (BO:SUN) which was up 2.31% to settle at 1,534.85 and ICICI Bank Ltd (BO:ICBK) which gained 2.14% to close at 1,010.75.

The worst performers were Mahindra&Mahindra Ltd. (BO:MAHM) which was down 2.40% to 1,646.85 in late trade, Bharti Airtel Ltd (BO:BRTI) which lost 1.94% to settle at 1,120.45 and NTPC Ltd (BO:NTPC) which was down 1.84% to 324.90 at the close.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the India National Stock Exchange by 1539 to 609 and 32 ended unchanged; on the Bombay Stock Exchange, 2450 fell and 1238 advanced, while 92 ended unchanged.

Shares in Grasim Industries Ltd (NS:GRAS) rose to all time highs; rising 5.92% or 121.75 to 2,179.05. Shares in State Bank Of India (NS:SBI) rose to all time highs; gaining 3.67% or 25.70 to 725.25. Shares in Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Ltd. (NS:APLH) rose to all time highs; rising 3.25% or 202.75 to 6,433.75. Shares in State Bank Of India (BO:SBI) rose to all time highs; up 3.55% or 24.85 to 724.25. Shares in Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (BO:SUN) rose to all time highs; gaining 2.31% or 34.60 to 1,534.85.

The India VIX, which measures the implied volatility of Nifty 50 options, was down 2.40% to 15.45.

Gold Futures for April delivery was down 0.03% or 0.55 to $2,047.35 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March rose 0.14% or 0.11 to hit $76.33 a barrel, while the April Brent oil contract fell 0.05% or 0.04 to trade at $81.59 a barrel.

USD/INR was up 0.07% to 83.04, while EUR/INR fell 0.04% to 89.39.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.05% at 104.09.