Sensex up 276 points; banking, metal shares shine

Benchmark stock indices rebounded on Tuesday after two days of decline following buying in metal, banking and energy shares and a bullish trend in the US markets.

The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 275.62 points or 0.42 per cent to settle at 65,930.77.

During the day, it jumped 427.21 points or 0.65 per cent to 66,082.36.

The broader Nifty went up by 89.40 points or 0.45 per cent to 19,783.40.

Among the Sensex firms, JSW Steel, Titan, Tata Steel, Sun Pharma, Reliance Industries, Bharti Airtel, Tata Motors and HDFC Bank were the biggest gainers.

NTPC, Tech Mahindra, Maruti, State Bank of India and Larsen & Toubro were among the laggards.

Vinod Nair, head of research at Geojit Financial Services said, "Today, the market exhibited positive momentum, with attention centred on the minutes of the latest Fed meeting.

"The declining inflation and the recent cooling job data in the US provide foundation for a dovish comment from the Fed."

The drop in bond yields and the dollar index suggests mounting speculation regarding the potential peak in the interest rate cycle.

"This will attract funds to emerging markets.

"The gain in the broad market was led by consumer durables and realty, thanks to a strong rebound in festive demand," Nair added.

The US dollar index eased by 0.10 per cent to 103.33 ahead of the release of the Fed minutes later in the day.

In Asian markets, Seoul settled with gains while Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong ended lower.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude declined 0.61 per cent to $81.82 a barrel.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 645.72 crore on Monday, according to exchange data.