INDIAN EQUITY MARKET WITNESSED A POSITIVE DAY OF TRADE

Domestic equity market trade positively on Thursday, the day of February series derivative contracts expiry led by strong gains in metals and energy stocks. The Sensex ended 257.62 points, or 0.51 percent, higher at 51,039.31 with shares of ONGC, NTPC, Reliance, IndusInd Bank, Axis Bank, Powergrid, TCS, HCL Tech ,sun Pharma were having gains of 4.66%, 4.55%, 3.84%, 3.70%, 2.94%, 2.29%, 1.41%, 1.29%, 1.19% respectively while shares of ICICI Bank, Nestle India, L & T, Kotak Bank, Titan, HDFC,HUL were having loss of 2.10%, 1.45%, 1.20%, 0.98%, 0.80%, 0.74%, 0.66% respectively. The Nifty fifty gained 115.35 points, or 0.77 percent, to close February F&O series at 15,097.35 with indexes like Metal, Energy, Realty, Media, Auto, Pharma Indexes were having gains of 3.97%, 3.05%, 1.68%, 1.34%,0.89%, 0.88% respectively whereas FMCG Index was the only loser with a loss of 0.27%.

TOP STOCKS IN NEWSCAST:

NTPC surged over 4% as HG Infra Engineering Limited (HGIEL) has been declared as L-1 bidder by NTPC Limited for a new project.

Reliance Industries gained over 3% as Reliance and Adani bought corporate boxes in Narendra Modi stadium for 250 crores for 25 years. Reliance Industries Ltd on Wednesday sought bids from buyers for 0.82 million standard cubic meters per day of gas from its Sohagpur coal-bed methane block (west) in Madhya Pradesh, according to a notice inviting offer.

Axis Bank rose nearly 2% as after the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) gave its formal approval for the acquisition of up to 12 per cent stake in Max Life Insurance by Axis Bank and its subsidiaries, Axis Capital & Axis Securities (together Axis Entities).