Sensex back in green; consumer durables rally

Mumbai, May 22 (IANS) A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Thursday closed 76 points or 0.31 percent up, as consumer durables, metal and oil and gas stocks rallied.

On Wednesday, the index had closed 78.86 points, or 0.32 percent, down -- in negative territory for the first time after four straight sessions of gains.

In the day's trade, healthy buying was observed in consumer durables, metal, oil and gas, bank and realty stocks.

However, information technology (IT) and technology, entertainment and media (TECK) sectors witnessed heavy selling pressure.

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 24,415.42 points, ended the day's trade at 24,374.40 points (provisional), up 76.38 points or 0.31 percent from the previous day's close at 24,298.02 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 24,524.76 points and a low of 24,326.48 points in trade.

The S&P BSE consumer durables index was up 527.25 points, metal index surged by 216.90 points, oil and gas index gained by 123.13 points, bank index was higher by 119.89 points, and realty index moved up by 101.61 points.

However, the IT index fell 25.80 points and TECK index was down 22.88 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) too closed in the green. It was up 23.50 points or 0.32 percent at 7,276.40 points.