The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex gained for the third straight session today adding nearly 145 points on buying by funds in fundamentally strong stocks, ignoring rising inflation and weak global cues.

The stock market, which opened after a two-day break, saw the 30-share index closing higher by 144.71 points or 0.87 per cent at 16,821.46 points. The market was closed on Wednesday for Id and on Thursday for Ganesh Chaturthi.

It had gained nearly 828 points in the two sessions to Tuesday.

Similarly, the broad-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty moved up by 39 points or 0.78 per cent to 5,040 after touching the day’s high of 5,113.70.

Reliance Industries gained 3.06 per cent to Rs 805.40, after BP completed the purchase of a 30 per cent stake in 21 energy assets operated by the firm.

Brokers said buying in blue chips at attractive lower levels pushed the Sensex up.

Negative factors such as food inflation rising to double digits for the week ended August 20, slowing GDP growth in April-June and a weakening global trend failed to influence the trading sentiment, they added.

Other index-linked stocks of State Bank of India, DLF, Tata Steel, Sun Pharma, Bajaj Auto, Hero Motors, ICICI Bank, Coal India, Tata Motors and Hindalco led the upsurge.

However, software exporting stocks led by Infosys suffered losses on fears financial turmoil in the US and European region might hurt their revenue.

Infosys fell 1.16 per cent to Rs 2,315.55, Tata Consultancy Services 1.82 per cent to Rs 1,021.65 and Wipro 0.28 per cent to Rs 334.10.

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