Sensex ends 74 points up

Mumbai, May 13 (IANS) A benchmark index of Indian equities Thursday tapered in the last hour of trade and ended 74 points higher than its previous close.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,323.63 points, closed at 17,270.66 points (provisional), 74.85 points or 0.44 percent up from its previous close at 17,195.81 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty ended 5,179.25 points with a gain of 0.44 percent from its previous close at 5,156.65 points.

Broader market indices were doing better with the BSE midcap index ending 1.24 percent up and the BSE smallcap index closing 0.97 percent higher.

Realty, auto and consumer durables scrips saw buying interest, while metals came under selling pressure.