Sensex gains over 100 points in early trade today

The benchmark BSE Sensex advanced over 100 points in early trade today on sustained buying by domestic institutional investors amid firm Asian cues.

Continuing its upward march for the third straight session, the 30-share index rose 136.45 points, or 0.40 per cent, to 33,763.42. The gauge had gained 607.90 points in the previous two sessions.

The NSE Nifty too was up 47.65 points, or 0.46 per cent, at 10,379.25.

Sectoral indices, led by consumer durables, metal, realty and capital goods stocks, were trading in the positive zone with gains of up to 1.40 per cent.

Brokers said that a firm trend at other Asian markets on easing concerns about a sharp rise in US interest rates and buying by investors ahead of earnings season, scheduled to



begin this week, helped lift market sentiment.

Major gainers were Kotak Bank, Yes Bank, IndusInd Bank, M&M, Asian Paint, RIL, HDFC, Bajaj Auto, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, ITC, Wipro, Maruti Suzuki and Dr Reddy's, gaining by up to 1.29 per cent.

Top losers were ICICI Bank, Bharti Airtel and Infosys, falling up to 2 per cent.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei was up 0.06 per cent while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose 0.97 per cent. Shanghai Composite Index too edged higher by 0.15 per cent.

The US Dow Jones Industrial Average, however, ended 2.34 per cent down in Friday's trade after Donald Trump warned of tariffs on an additional USD 100 billion worth of Chinese imports.