A benchmark index of Indian equities markets closed in green for the third straight session Monday, gaining 39 points.

 

 

 The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 18,602.56 points, ended the day's trade at 18,558.13 points, up 38.69 points or 0.21 percent from the previous day's close at 18,519.44 points.

 

 In Monday's trade, the wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) closed 4.75 points or 0.09 percent up at 5,476.50 points.

 

 The Sensex touched a high of 18,728.19 points and a low of 18,488.93 during Monday's trading session. 

 

 This was the third consecutive gain that the market made in the previous seven trading sessions, even while the rupee slumped to 64.72 against the dollar. 

 

 The markets had slumped below the 18,000-mark in the previous week, as the rupee continued its downslide. The partially-convertible rupee had slumped to a new record low of 65.56 against a dollar on August 22.

 

 In Monday's trade, healthy buying was seen in healthcare, capital goods, information technology (IT), technology, entertainment and media (TECk) and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) stocks.

 

 However, selling pressure was observed in bank, oil and gas, public sector undertakings (PSUs), consumer durables and automobile sector.

 

 The S&P BSE healthcare index gained by 96.94 points followed by capital goods index which increased by 90.17 points, metal index rose by 81.87 points, IT index gained by 72.16 points and TECk index went up by 35.16 points.

 

 However, BSE bank index was down 112.66 points, oil and gas index declined by 35.12 points, PSU index was down 9.35 points, consumer durables index was lower by 2.81 points and automobile index fell by marginal 0.35 points.

 

 The major Sensex gainers were: BHEL, up 6.63 percent at Rs.123.80; Sterlite Inds, up 2.79 percent at Rs.90.20, Wipro, up 2.25 percent at Rs.459.70, NTPC, up 2.52 percent at Rs.132.25; and Hero MotoCorp, up 2.35 percent at Rs.1,945.70.

 

 The scrip of Sesa Goa gained 9.39 percent or 14.35 points at 167.25 from its previous close of Rs.152.90 on Friday. 

 

 The rise in the company's stock price comes a day ahead of the company joining the 30 sensitive index by replacing Sterlite Industries which is being merged into Seas Goa.

 

 The main losers were: ONGC, down 3.16 percent at Rs.267.80, Gail India, down 3.02 percent at Rs.295.55, ICICI Bank, down 2.58 percent at Rs.830.35, Tata Steel, down 1.70 percent at Rs.277.45; and Tata Motors, down 0.93 percent at Rs.298.10.

 

 Among the Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 0.18 percent up while China's Shanghai Composite Index was higher by 0.65 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up 1.90 percent. 

 

 In Europe, London's FTSE 100 was trading 0.70 percent up, while Germany's DAX Index was lower 0.21 percent. The French CAC 40 Index inched lower by 0.57 percent. 

 

IANS