Key Indian equity market indices open higher

Mumbai March 30 (IANS) The key Indian equity market indices opened higher on Thursday after the Lok Sabha passed four legislations to introduce Goods and Services Tax (GST) bringing the country closer to a unified tax regime.

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the much-awaited Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Bill Integrated GST Bill Compensation GST Bill and Union Territory GST Bill 2017 after negating all the amendments put forward by the Opposition.

The Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE which had closed at 29 531.43 points on Wednesday opened higher at 29 538.03 points. Minutes into trading it was quoting at 29 570.48 points up by 39.05 points or 0.13 per cent.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE) the broader 51-scrip Nifty which had closed at 9 143.80 points was quoting at 9 147.55 points up by 3.75 points or 0.04 per cent.

With the March 2017 derivatives contract expiry on Thursday some caution prevailed in the equity markets.

Indian equity markets extended gains for the second consecutive trade session on Wednesday following positive global cues a strong rupee and inflow of funds.

The Sensex was up by 121.91 points or 0.41 per cent at the Wednesday s closing. In the day s trade the barometer 30-scrip sensitive index had touched a high of 29 554.39 points and a low of 29 439.42 points.

The Nifty too was up by 43 points or 0.47 per cent.

On Thursday Asian indices were showing a negative trend. Japan s Nikkei 225 is trading in red down by 0.34 per cent Hang Seng down by 0.43 per cent while South Korea s Kospi was down by 0.28 per cent. China s Shanghai Composite index was quoting in red down by 1.13 per cent.

On a positive note Nasdaq closed in green up by 0.38 per cent while FTSE 100 was also up by 0.41 per cent at the closing on Wednesday.

--IANS
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