Share markets on Thursday: The top laggard in the 50-share Nifty pack was Axis Bank (-0.07%).Domestic stock indices opened on a flatnote on Thursday as investors turned cautious ahead of September futures and options (FO) expiry.
At 9:42 am, the SP BSE Sensex advanced 80.79 points or 0.22per cent to trade at 36,623.06.
The broader NSE's Nifty50 index climbed 23.35 points or 0.21per cent to trade at 11,077.15.
Investor sentiment was briefly boosted after the government on Wednesday raised import duties on 19 items, including jet fuel and air conditioners, as it looks to check the widening current account deficit.Asian cues were weak on Thursday after the US Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the third time this year.Prominent gainers in the 30-share Sensex pack in the session were Asian Paints (+1.82%), Bajaj Auto (+1.27%), NTPC (+1.10%), Adani Ports (+0.90%), Tata Motors (+0.86%) and SBIN (+0.83%).
Induslnd Bank (+0.39%), Dr Reddy's (+0.35%), Larsen Tourbo (+0.32%), Kotak Bank (+0.29%) and NTPC (+0.21%) led the pack of Nifty gainers.The Indian rupee strengthened by another 22 paise to trade at 72.38 against the US dollar in early session at the forex market today.Global equities ran out of steam and US bond yields fell.
The Fed bumped up its policy target by a quarter of a percentage point to 2.00-2.25 percent and indicated that it foresees another rate rise in December, three more next year, and one in 2020.Oil prices rose on Thursday, lifted by looming US sanctions against major crude exporter Iran.Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth a net of Rs 1,555.44 crore, while foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net of Rs 809.95 crore on Wednesday, provisional data showed.On the other hand, main losers in the 30-share Sensex pack in the morning session were ICICI Bank (-0.16%), Larsen Tourbo (-0.18%), Sun Pharma (-0.31%), Maruti (-0.57%), HDFC(-1.19%) and Yes Bank (-2.06%).
The top laggardin the 50-share Nifty pack was Axis Bank (-0.07%).Meanwhile, domestic stock markets closed lower on Wednesday, dragged by consumer goods and IT stocks.
The SP BSE Sensex declined 109.79 points to end at 36,542.27.
The NSE's Nifty50 index dropped 13.65 points to settle at 11,053.80.
(With agencies inputs)