Sensex up 97 points in early trade ahead of RIL earnings

 The BSE benchmark Sensex gained over 97 points in early trade today as investors took to optimistic buying ahead of Reliance Industries' quarterly earnings amid firm Asian cues.

The 30-share index was trading higher by 97.06 points, or 0.33 per cent, to 29,462.36 with sectoral indices such as realty, capital goods oil & gas, power and bank leading the recovery, gaining by up to 1.21 per cent.The gauge had lost 57.09 points in the previous session on Friday largely on profit-booking amid mixed global cues.

The NSE Nifty was up 28.90 points, or 0.32 per cent, at 9,148.30 in early trade.

Widening of positions by investors ahead of quarterly earnings of Reliance Industries,



which is scheduled to release its results later in the day, influenced trading sentiments, brokers said.Shares of heavyweight RIL was quoting 1.14 per cent higher at 1,415.70, lending major support to the key indices.

Investors cheered news coming in of 'market-friendly' Emmanuel Macron leading far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in the French presidential race, which too supported the recovery here, brokers added.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei was up 1.34 per cent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.60 per cent in early deals. Shanghai Composite Index, however, shed 1.51 per cent.

The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.15 per cent lower in Friday's trade.