Sensex builds on gains, up 54 points in opening trade

MUMBAI: The benchmark BSE Sensex made a decent start climbing 54 points to 28,281 in opening trade on Friday on sustained buying by investors amid foreign fund inflows and mixed Asian cues.

The 30-share index was trading higher by 53.97 points, or 0.19 per cent, at 28,280.58, with healthcare, PSU, technology, metal, realty, oil and gas and power goods stocks staying in good shape.

The gauge had gained 570.65 points in the previous two sessions as the markets gave a thumbs up to the Budget.

The NSE index Nifty too was up 4.40 points, or 0.05 per cent, at 8,738.65.

Brokers said sustained buying by investors, coupled with foreign inflows, mainly influenced sentiment.

Sun TV Network soared 24.69 per cent to Rs 688.10 after a special court yesterday acquitted former telecom minister

Dayanidhi Maran

, his brother and promoter Kalanithi Maran and others in the Aircel-Maxis deal case lodged by CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Japan's NIkkei rose by 0.56 per cent as investors waited for key US jobs data to be released later in the day while Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.74 per cent in early trade. Shanghai's Composite index was down 0.66 points.

The US

Dow Jones

Industrial Average ended 0.03 per cent lower on Thursday.