Indian shares closed nearly 2 percent higher on Monday, with the NSE index posting its biggest daily gain in more than two months, as investors snapped up beaten down bluechips after India's lower house of parliament approved the 2015/16 Finance Bill on Thursday. The benchmark BSE index gained 1.77 percent to 27,490.59, marking its biggest single-day gain since March 30, 2015.
The broader NSE index added 1.84 percent to 8,331.95, its best daily gain since February 27, 2015. Strong growth in passenger car sales in April also raised hopes of a revival in Asia's third largest economy. However, a rise in India VIX, the volatility gauge, coupled with continued sales by foreign portfolio investors amid fresh worries on retrospective taxes indicates it might just be a temporary bounce from technically oversold state, according to analysts. "May's start would be good and will continue if the tax and land acquisition bills are resolved," said Deven Choksey, managing director at KR Choksey Securities. Technically, the NSE index needs to close above 8,350-8,370 for the downtrend to reverse, he added.
Overseas investors have sold Indian shares worth $1.75 bln over the last 12 sessions excluding Daiichi Sankyo's share sale in Sun Pharmaceutical Industries. The BSE index gained 1.2 percent, while the broader NSE index rose 1.3 percent, heading towards their biggest daily gains since March 30. Investment bank CLSA raised India's weightage by 1 percentage point in its Asia Pacific ex-Japan relative-return portfolio.
Gains also tracked higher Asian stocks as weak China factory activity reinforced views that Beijing will roll out fresh support measures soon for the world's second-largest economy. Blue-chips led Monday's gains, with Housing Development Finance Corp rising 2.7 percent, and ITC Ltd up 2 percent. Oil and Natural Gas Corp surged 5.3 percent, while software exporter Infosys Ltd was up 1.4 percent.