Sensex 150 points up, Nifty nears 12,000; RIL gains over 3%

MUMBAI: The domestic markets edged higher on Wednesday amid buying in select blue-chip counters.

Around 9.25 am, the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex was up nearly 150 points at over 40,600-level as the markets opened, the NSE hit an intra-day high of 12,004 in the early morning trade, but retreated later to trade at 11,985 shortly after that.

Buying in index heavyweights like Reliance Industries, Bharti Airtel, and ICICI Bank had lifted the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex to over 40,600-level in the morning trade.

RIL, which was nearing Rs 10 trillion m-cap mark, was up 4 per cent and was the top gainer after Jio announced plans to hike mobile phone tariffs.

On the downside, Bajaj Auto slipped 0.9 per cent on the 30-share index.

Meanwhile, the Rupee on Wednesday opened 12 paise lower at 71.83 against the US dollar amid decline in crude oil prices and fall in Asian equities over US-China trade deal uncertainties. The domestic unit on Tuesday settled 13 paise higher at 71.71.