Indian shares rose 1.80 percent on Friday as investors bought into index- and mid-cap stocks on bargain-hunting, after the markets had fallen more than five percent in recent days, dealers said. The benchmark 30-share Sensex rose 256.36 points to 14,521.89.
The markets were choppy and fell this week, snapping 14 straight weeks of gains - its best run in four years - as investors booked profit from a three-month rally, in which share prices rose nearly 90 percent. Dealers said the markets are likely to consolidate ahead of the budget to be presented next month.
Losers led gainers 1,345 to 1,293 on turnover of 59.16 billion rupees (1.2 billion dollars). Tata Steel rose 22.75 rupees or 5.85 percent to 411.75 and Larsen and Toubro rose 80.8 rupees or 5.71 percent to 1,496.1. Infosys Technologies rose 49.65 rupees or 2.88 percent to 1,771.1.