Indian shares advance as RBI maintains neutral policy stance

Indian stocks gained on Thursday, a day after the central bank kept the key interest rate unchanged, noting risks to inflation, but expressed optimism that the slowdown in economic growth had bottomed out.

nifty
A man walks past the NSE (National Stock Exchange) building in Mumbai, India. REUTERS

Indian stocks gained on Thursday, a day after the central bank kept the key interest rate unchanged, noting risks to inflation, but expressed optimism that the slowdown in economic growth had bottomed out.

The central bank, as widely expected, kept rates on hold at 6 percent on Wednesday.

At 0610 GMT, the S&P BSE Sensex advanced 0.71 percent at 32,832 while the broader NSE Nifty rose 0.79 percent to 10,123.

Among the top Sensex gainers, Tata Steel rose 2.1 percent, Maruti Suzuki gained 2.3 percent, NTPC advanced 2.1 percent while Bajaj Auto was up 1.9 percent.

Hatsun Agro Product gained 1.6 percent after the company said its board approved raising funds via rights issue.

Jet Airways India added 2.2 percent ahead of its September quarter earnings due later today.

Larsen & Toubro was up 1 percent after the company said it won order worth Rs1,600 crore in Hydrocarbon Engineering from HPCL Visakhapatnam refinery.

But IRB Infrastructure Developers lost 5 percent after CBI filed charge sheet in Pimpoli land case.

Market breadth was in the favour of gainers, with about 2 stocks advancing to every 1 stock that declined.

Asian shares hovered near two-month lows as iInvestors are looking to final tax reform legislation in the United States, where a potential U.S. government shutdown looms if Congress fails to agree on a spending package.

Investors are also awaiting catalysts that would provide reason to add to risk assets before the year draws to a close. Friday's U.S. jobs report is the next big data release on the calendar.

READ MORE