Market ends with moderate gains

The market ended the day with marginal gains amid an extremely volatile trading session. However, they outperformed its Asian and European peers. The markets picked up momentum in the noon with inflation numbers for the week ended April 28 coming in lower at 5.66% versus 5.77%. Also the manufacturing and industrial output numbers came in strong. The midcaps and smallcaps outperformed the frontline indices gving markets an even breadth on the back of large volume.

Sensex closed up 24.93 points or 0.18% at 13796.16, and the Nifty up 9.85 points or 0.24% at 4076.65.

Bajaj Auto rose 4.22% to Rs 2719, and was the top gainer from the pack, on its proposal to split the company into two.Index heavyweight Reliance Industries (RIL) rose 0.61% to Rs 1591.05, after recovering sharply from its low of Rs 1555.05.SBI (up 3.60% to Rs 1164), Reliance Communications (up 3.28% to Rs 480), and NTPC (up 2.71% to Rs 155.20) were the other gainers.Infosys (up 1.39% to Rs 2000), and TCS (up 2.47% to Rs 1260), MphasiS (up 2.25% to Rs 320), HCL Technologies (up 1.61% to Rs 330.35), and i-flex Solutions (up 1.49% to Rs 2350) were the other gainers from the pack.

ACC was the top loser, down 4.03% to Rs 840.HLL (down 1.84% to Rs 186.50), Grasim (down 2.58% to Rs 2425), and HDFC (down 1.49% to Rs 1655), declined.Maruti Udyog (MUL) slipped 0.20% to Rs 793.