Sensex surges 350 points, Nifty above 12,000; NTPC, SBI gain

Indian benchmark indices opened in green on Wednesday (February 19) with the BSE Sensex gaining over 300 points, or 0.80 per cent, to reach 41,222.62 points and the Nifty50 advanced nearly 100 points, or 0.8 per cent, to trade above 12,000 points.

NTPC, Coal India, Bharti Infratel, IndusInd Bank, SBI, Aurobindo Pharma were among major gainers on the indices, while Bharti Airtel, Yes Bank and Lakshmi Vilas Bank were prominent losers.

Sectorally, metals and pharma counters zoomed ahead with the respective Nifty indices rising 1.65 and 1,8 per cent, respectively. Nifty Realty index went up 1.4 per cent and Nifty Bank index gained 1 per cent. In the broader market, the S&P BSE mid and small-cap indices opened with a gain of over one per cent.

The currency markets are closed on Wednesday due to a banking holiday on account of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti.

On Tuesday (February 18), the Sensex closed down 161.31 points down or 0.39% at 40894.38, and the broader Nifty also ended 53.30 points down or 0.44% at 11992.50. Major gainers on the Nifty included Zee Entertainment, Coal India, BPCL, GAIL, and Eicher Motors while Bharti Infratel, Yes Bank, Tata Motors, and Bharti Airtel were top losers.

Except for IT, all other sectoral indices ended in the red. About 884 shares advanced, 1570 shares declined, and 152 shares remain unchanged.