Stock markets edge higher on late buying

Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty eked out gains on Wednesday following late buying in capital goods, auto and energy shares as investors adopted a cautious approach ahead of the US Fed interest rate decision to be announced later in the day.

The 30-share BSE Sensex advanced 33.57 points or 0.05 per cent to settle at 69,584.60, driven by late buying. During the day, it fell 450.47 points or 0.64 per cent to 69,100.56.

The Nifty gained 19.95 points or 0.10 per cent to 20,926.35.

Among the Sensex firms, NTPC, Power Grid, Mahindra & Mahindra, Larsen & Toubro, Sun Pharma, State Bank of India, Titan and Tata Steel were the major gainers.

Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, Axis Bank, Bajaj Finserv, UltraTech Cement and Bajaj Finance were the major laggards.

In Asian markets, Seoul, Shanghai and Hong Kong settled lower while Tokyo ended in the positive territory. European markets were trading with gains. The US markets ended in the positive territory on Tuesday.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude declined 0.27 per cent to $73.04 a barrel. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were buyers on Tuesday as they bought equities worth Rs 76.86 crore, according to exchange data.

Snapping its declining trend, retail inflation rose to a three-month high of 5.55 per cent in November on firming food prices, including vegetables and cereals, though it remains within the RBI's comfort zone of less than 6 per cent.

After a two-day rally, the BSE benchmark fell by 377.50 points or 0.54 per cent to settle at 69,551.03 on Tuesday. The Nifty declined 90.70 points or 0.43 per cent to 20,906.40.