Markets inch up amid choppy trade

Mumbai: Equity indices ticked higher in choppy trade on Friday, propped up by select banking and finance stocks, even as the overall risk sentiment remained subdued owing to liquidity concerns in the NBFC space.

After swinging over 400 points intra-day, the BSE Sensex settled 86.18 points, or 0.22 per cent, higher at 39,615.90. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty rose 26.90 points, or 0.23 per cent, to 11,870.65. During the week, the Sensex fell 98.30 points and the broader Nifty lost 52.15 points.

"On-going funding challenges faced by NBFCs prompted investors to focus on to select banking stocks while weak rupee added some impetus to IT stocks.

The global central banks are moving to a rate cut cycle to combat weaker growth which supported Asian and European markets but trade war concerns continue to limit gains.

Investors to remain focused on fresh triggers in the upcoming union budget and US job data to get cues on further direction," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services.

Sectorally, BSE telecom, finance, consumer durables, bankex and teck indices ended up to 0.79 per cent higher. However, utilities, power, energy, healthcare, realty and metal indices slipped up to 1.29 per cent.

Broader market indices the BSE MidCap and SmallCap ended in the red, under-performing the benchmarks.

Foreign institutional investors sold shares worth a net Rs 1,448.99 crore on Thursday, and domestic institutional investors offloaded equities to the tune of Rs 650.84 crore, provisional data available with stock exchanges showed.

Meanwhile, the Indian rupee depreciated 20 paise to 69.48 against the US dollar.