BSE Smallcap index extends gains for a second session

NEW DELHI: Erasing early losses, the BSE Smallcap index on Friday settled in green to extend gains for a second session at 16,688, just 20 points shy of its lifetime high of 16,708, that it touched during the afternoon session.

Shares of Lypsa Gems & Jewellery, Graphite India, Mirc Electronics, Prozone Intu Properties, TVS Electronics, Bombay Burmah and BF Investment sttod as the top gainers in the smallcap index.

On the other hand, Flexituff, Himachal Fibres, Goodluck India, Kesoram Industries and Diamond Power Infrastructure settled at the bottom of the index.

Sustained selling in pharma, bank, FCMG and oil & gas stocks spurred by weak Asian cues kept domestic equity benchmarks under pressure on Friday.

However, benchmark indices managed to pare losses during fag-end to settle almost flat.

The Nifty50 index settled 0.01 per cent down at 10,085, whereas Sensex ended Friday's session at 32,273, up 0.10 per cent.

In the Nifty50 index, Dr Reddy's, IndusInd Bank, Aurobindo Pharma, Tata Power, ITC, Indian Oil Corporation, State Bank of India and Cipla stood as the top losers on Friday.

Among the gainers, Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) surged over 5 per cent to hit the intraday high of 168 on NSE.

It was followed by stocks such as Bajaj Auto, Coal India, Bharti Infratel, Infosys and HCL Technologies.

In the Nifty50 pack, 21 stocks settled in green, while 30 in red.