Sensex rises over 100 points; HUL top gainer

Equity benchmark BSE Sensex rose over 100 points on Tuesday led by gains in index heavyweights HDFC twins, HUL, TCS and RIL, amid sustained foreign fund inflow. The 30-share index was trading 101.53 points or 0.27%, higher at 38,316 at 0930 hours. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty rose 25.75 points, or 0.23%, to 11,366.90. HUL was the biggest gainer in the Sensex pack, rising over 1%, after the FMCG major reported a 21.18% rise in standalone net profit at Rs. 1,848 crore for the quarter ended on September 30.

Other top gainers

Other gainers included Sun Pharma, TCS, HCL Tech, ONGC, Hero MotoCorp, Axis Bank, Asian Paints, HDFC duo, ITC and RIL, gaining up to 1%. While, Infosys, Vedanta, Tata Motors, Bharti Airtel, Tata Steel and IndusInd Bank fell up to 2%. In the previous session on Monday, the BSE barometer closed 87.39 points, or 0.23%, higher at 38,214.47, while the Nifty moved up 36.10 points, or 0.32%, to 11,341.15. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) continued to be net buyers in the capital market, infusing Rs 895.63 on Monday, while domestic institutional investors sold shares worth Rs 425.15 crore, data available with the stock exchange showed. Despite sustained foreign fund inflow, domestic investors were cautious after the release of inflation data, traders said.

Retail inflation climbed to a 14-month high of 3.99% in September due to costlier vegetables and pulses but still remained within the RBI's comfort zone, government data showed on Monday. The Consumer Price Index-based inflation stood at 3.28% in August and 3.70% in September 2018. The previous high was 4.17% in July 2018. However, the wholesale inflation in September slipped to an over three-year low of 0.33%.

"While the decline in the core inflation provides some comfort, the unexpectedly sharp jump in the September 2019 CPI inflation has pushed up the likelihood of a pause in the next Monetary Policy Committee (of RBI) review, unless the headline retail inflation recedes sharply in the ongoing month," Principal Economist with ICRA Aditi Nayar said.

Elsewhere in Asia, bourses in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Seoul and Tokyo were trading on a cautious note as Britain and the European Union on Monday began key talks to determine if they are still on course to reach amicable terms for Brexit. Exchanges on Wall Street ended in the red on Monday. The rupee, meanwhile, depreciated 6 paise against its previous close to trade at 71.30 in early session. Brent futures, the global oil benchmark, fell 0.78% to USD 58.89 per barrel.