INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Mid- and small-cap shares finished on a strong note.New Delhi: The Indian equity benchmarks surged for the second straight session on
Wednesday led by strong buying interest in financial and automobile stocks
The 30-share BSE Sensex zoomed 1,223 points or 2.29 per cent to settle at 54,647, while the broader NSE Nifty moved 332 points or 2.07 per
cent higher to close at 16,345.Mid- and small-cap shares finished on a strong note as Nifty Midcap 100 index jumped 2.16 per cent and
small-cap shares moved 2.38 per cent higher.Also, aviation stocks rose after the Centre lifted pandemic-related restrictions on
international flights.14 out of the 15 sector gauges -- compiled by the National Stock Exchange -- settled in green
Nifty Financial Services and Nifty Auto outperformed the index by rising as much as 2.85 per cent and 2.04 per cent, respectively
Nifty Media also jumped as much as 4.05 per cent
However, Nifty Metal slipped 0.34 per cent.On the stock-specific front, Asian Paints was the top Nifty gainer as the stock surged 6.12 per
Reliance Industries, Bajaj Finance, IndusInd Bank and M-M are also among the gainers.The overall market breadth stood positive as 2,655
shares advanced while 686 declined on BSE.On the 30-share BSE index, Asian Paints, RIL, Bajaj Finance, M-M, IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Finserv and
Maruti Suzuki India are among the top gainers.In contrast, PowerGrid, NTPC, Tata Steel and Nestle India settled in the red.Broader Asian
stocks struggled for footing as investors assessed the impact of a worsening conflict in Ukraine and a U.S
