MUMBAI: The stock markets extended their gains for the second straight day today with bellwether Sensex closing the day higher by over 68 points in volatile trade.
The 30-share index of the Bombay Stock Exchange ended the day at 14,355.75, a gain of 68.54 points, 0.48 per cent, over its previous close.
The BSE barometer witnessed irregular movements in a range of 14,369.59 and 14,161.76 points as investors either rolled over or squared off their positions at the end of July contract of the Futures & Options segment.
The 50-share Nifty of the National Stock Exchange also improved by 19.40 points, or 0.45 per cent, to close at 4,332.95 from its last close.
Market participants said there was some short-covering at the fag end of the day helping the market to recover its mid-afternoon losses.
They said the market discounted concerns over inflation, which is expected to cross the 12 per cent mark, and a rise in global crude oil prices to above USD 126 a barrel.
The country's largest private sector company Reliance Industries, which has the highest weightage in the Sensex, gained 1.99 per cent while other blue-chips SBI jumped 2.03 per cent, Tata Steel 3.95 per cent and DLF 3.79 per cent, helping market to close in positive territory.
Health-care and IT shares, however, registered losses on selling pressure.
Asian and European markets, however, were narrowly mixed during the day.
