FIRST TRADE: Sensex up 345 pts; Nifty above 19,500; Marico slips over 3.5%

Stock market today: Domestic equity indices on Thursday, October 5, edged higher, tracking their Asian peers, as oil prices plunged and softer U.S. labour data helped pull Treasury yields off 16-year peaks.

Last seen, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 0.49 per cent or 318. 65 points at 65,544.69, and the NSE Nifty was up 0.46 per cent, or 89.45 points, at 19,525.55. 

Among the Nifty 50 stocks, 40 advanced and 9 declined.

In the broader market, the Nifty Mid Cap 100 and Small Cap 100 opened positive. 

At the time of filing this report, Nifty Bank was up 0.58 per cent at 44,219.4.

BUZZING STOCKS 

Nazara Technologies shares were up nearly 6 per cent after its Singapore subsidiary of NODWIN Gaming acquired a 100 per cent stake in PublishME.

Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) stock edged 2 per cent higher after the company handed over the first LCA Tejas twin-seater to the Indian Air Force on Wednesday.

Deepak Nitrite shares edged higher by over 1 per cent after the board approved the incorporation of a new wholly-owned subsidiary of the company.

L&T Finance Holdings shares were up over 2 per cent after the company released its Q2 business update.

The Indian Energy Exchange scaled higher by over 3 per cent after its volume for the quarter ending September increased by 13 per cent.

Jammu Kashmir Bank shares traded over 2 per cent higher post-Q2 business update.

Conversely, Marico shares were down over 3 per cent after the company released its Q2 business update.

Navin Fluorine shares were down over 3 per cent after Jefferies double-downgraded the stock to 'HOLD'

GLOBAL MARKETS

Asian shares advanced Thursday after a plunge in oil prices aided a recovery on Wall Street. Benchmarks rose in Tokyo, Sydney, Seoul, and Hong Kong. Chinese markets were closed for a holiday. Market sentiment was helped by a $5 decline in oil prices on Wednesday. Lower energy costs would relieve inflationary pressures that have led central banks to keep interest rates high.

(with agency inputs)

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