Sensex holding on to gains, global cues help

Mumbai, Oct 25 (IANS) A benchmark index of Indian equities Monday was ruling 192 points higher in the afternoon, having slipped from its intra-day high.

The 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 20,199.73 points, was ruling at 20,357.93 points, up 192.07 points or 0.95 percent from its previous close at 20,165.86 points.

It rose 286.44 points to an intra-day high of 20,452.3 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was trading at 6,118.65 points, up 0.87 percent.

Broader markets were in the green too. The BSE midcap index was ruling 0.84 percent higher, while the BSE smallcap index moved up 0.98 percent.

Consumer durables and metal stocks led the gainers list, while FMCG scrips were ruling flat.

Top Sensex gainers at this time were Hindalco Industries, ACC, Sterlite Industries and Tata Motors.

Among the losers were Wipro, ITC and HDFC Bank.

Other Asian markets also ended higher after the G20 group of finance ministers agreed to avoid currency wars that could derail the world economy.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.47 up at 23,627.91 points, while the Japanese Nikkei closed 0.27 percent up at 9,426.71 points.

The Shanghai Composite index closed at 3,051.42 points, up 2.57 percent.

European markets were also trading in the green.