After a lacklustre session for most part of the day, ahead of the US Presidential polls, markets gained traction in late trades led by buying in healthcare and financial shares.The Sensex gained 54 points to close at 18,817 and the 50-share Nifty closed higher by 20 points at 5,724.
Asian shares and the dollar steadied on Tuesday, with investors' reluctant to place new bets amid uncertainty over the outcome of a tight US presidential election and renewed doubts over Greece's ability to push through severe fiscal reforms.
Risk-aversion underpinned the dollar near a two-month high against a basket of major currencies and bound most asset markets within tight trading ranges, with oil, gold and the euro all barely budged.
The Hang Seng closed lower by 0.4% or 8 points at 2,106, Nikkei closed weaker by 0.3% or 32 points at 8,975 and the Hang Seng ended weaker by 62 points at 21,944.
In Europe as well the markets witnessed a cautious opening.
While, uncertainty over Greece's next aid payment kept the euro at a two-month low.
CAC, DAX and FTSE were trading flat, up 0.3-0.5% each.
Back home, Cipla was the top Sensex gainer.
The stock jumped 4% to end at Rs 396 also its record high market price, after reporting a better-than-expected 62% year-on-year (yoy) growth in net profit at Rs 500 crore for the second quarter ended September 2012, buoyed by growth in exports and a reduction in the cost of raw materials.
Analysts, on an average, had expected profit of Rs 365 crore from drug maker.
GAIL India, HDFC, Jindal Steel, State Bank of India, Wipro, Tata Power, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, NTPC, ITC, ONGC, Reliance Industries and BHEL were also among the gainers.
On the other hand, Hindalco ended weaker by 2% at Rs 112 after the company reported that its net profit dropped by Rs 144 crore to Rs 359 crore for the second quarter ended September 30, 2012.
Total revenues for the company stood at Rs 6,164 crore as against Rs 6,272 crore for the same quarter last year.
Pure earnings or EBITDA were Rs 515 crore crore versus Rs 660
_1">
© 2025