Stock markets started Wednesday’s session on a strong note, with the Sensex opening 356 points higher at 34,203. NSE benchmark index Nifty opened 131 points higher at 10,278. Gains in banking, financial services and auto stocks pushed the domestic markets higher, despite weakness in Asian peers. Top advancers on the 50-scrip Nifty index were Bajaj Finance, Indiabulls Housing Finance, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum and Indian Oil, trading between 2.8 per cent and 6.7 per cent higher.
Wipro shares fell 2.7 per cent, ahead of release of earnings for the July-September quarter by the IT major.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.2 per cent, extending the decline of more than 2 per cent in the previous session.
Global stocks have suffered this week on worries about US earnings, Italian government finances, US trade tensions and mounting pressure on Saudi Arabia over the death of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
