BUSINESS DESK
The Sensex and the NSE Nifty on Friday logged losses of around half a percent. Index of top 30 companies at Bombay Stock Exchange, Sensex, ended below 60,900 level. The Nifty, index of top 50 companies at National Stock Exchange, closed below the 18,100 mark. Both indices fell amid mixed cues from global share markets. The Sensex fell 293 points to settle at 60,841. The Nifty also slipped 86 points to finish at 18,105.
Among global stock markets, Asain stocks were steady on the last trading day of the year. China’s Shanghai Composite index gained half a percent, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng surged 0.2 percent and Singapore’s Straits Times index added 0.1 percent. Japan’s NIKKEI-225 ended flat while South Korea’s KOSPI remained close due to a holiday. European shares were down in intra-day trade.
Oil prices rose and was on track for a second straight annual gain in a volatile year marked by tight supplies because of the Ukraine war and weakening demand from the world’s top crude importer, China. In intra-day trade, Brent crude was trading at 83 dollars and 60 cents per barrel.
At the Multi Commodity Exchange, Gold futures for February was trading at 54,990 rupees per ten grams. Silver futures for March was trading at 69,470 rupees per kilogram when reports last came in.
At the forex markets, the rupee appreciated seven paise to close at 82 rupees and 74 paise against the US dollar.