Markets snap six-session falling streak

Mumbai: Snapping its six-session falling streak, equity benchmark BSE Sensex ended 51.81 points higher on Friday, led by select finance and private bank stocks.

While subdued corporate earnings, foreign fund outflows and weak global cues continue to weigh on the markets, hopes of above-average rainfall in the next two weeks buoyed investor sentiment to some extent, traders said.

After a choppy session, the 30-share Sensex ended 51.81 points or 0.14 per cent higher at 37,882.79. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty rose 32.15 points or 0.29 per cent to settle at 11,284.30.

During the week, the Sensex lost 454.22 points or 1.18 per cent, while the Nifty fell 134.95 points or 1.18 per cent.

Sectorally, the BSE auto, bankex, capital goods, healthcare, industrials, finance and consumer durables indices ended up to 1.98 per cent higher. However, energy, IT, teck, oil and gas, utilities and power lost up to 1.01 per cent. The broader BSE midcap and smallcap indices outperformed the benchmarks, rising up to 0.53 per cent.

On a net basis, foreign institutional investors sold equities worth Rs 126.65 crore on Thursday, while domestic institutional investors purchased shares to the tune of Rs 398.53 crore, provisional data available with stock exchanges showed.

Elsewhere in Asia, most bourses ended on a negative note. On the currency front, the Indian rupee appreciated seven paise to 68.97 against the $ (intra-day). Meanwhile, the global oil benchmark Brent crude futures rose 0.50 per cent to $63.71 per barrel.