Sensex Rises Over 150 Points, Nifty Near 12,100

Domestic stock markets started the week on a positive note amid gains in Asian peers. The S&P BSE Sensex rose as much as 117.58 points to touch 40,911.39 on the upside whereas the broader NSE Nifty benchmark traded firm above the 12,050 mark. Gains in energy and infrastructure shares supported the markets however losses in automobile stocks capped the upside.

At 9:20 am, the Sensex traded 101.09 points - or 0.25 per cent - higher at 40,894.90 while the Nifty was up 17.05 points - or 0.14 per cent - at 12,073.10.

Top percentage gainers on the 50-scrip Nifty index at the time were Bharti Airtel, Grasim, Bharti Infratel, Reliance Industries and JSW Steel, trading between 1.70 per cent and 8.66 per cent higher.

Reliance Industries, Bharti Airtel and IndusInd Bank contributed the most to the upmove in Sensex.

Equities in other Asian markets moved higher amid optimism about US-China trade talks and easing concerns on the global growth front. MSCI's broadest index of Asia Pacific shares outside Japan was last seen trading 0.39 per cent higher while Japan's Nikkei 225 benchmark was up 1.11 per cent.

On Friday, the S&P BSE Sensex index had ended 336.36 points - or 0.82 per cent - lower at 40,793.81 and the broader NSE Nifty benchmark settled at 12,056.05, down 95.10 points (0.78 per cent) from the previous close.