Market Update: BSE Sensex rises nearly 2 per cent, lenders gain

The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Sensex and NSE Nifty surged nearly 2 per cent on Monday, recovering from recent losses with the 30-share index (Sensex) posting its biggest single-day gain in two and a half months as lenders such as State Bank of India (SBI) rose after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) relaxed provisioning rules against bad loans.

The RBI on Monday said it would allow banks to set aside up to 50 per cent of floating provisions from 33 per cent. Floating provisions are the amount that banks set aside that are above the mandatory provisioning requirement against bad loans established by the central bank.

The announcement late in the session spurred additional gains in shares, helping the 50-share Nifty snap an eight-session losing streak in which the gauge lost 4.4 per cent, compared with a 1.5 per cent gain in the MSCI Asia Pacific Ex Japan index.

The Nifty closed up 1.81 per cent at 8,492.30, its biggest single-day gain since February 27. The BSE Sensex ended higher 1.88 per cent at 27,975.86, its best daily gain since January 15.

The general sentiment was bullish as markets across the region were trading higher with China stocks nearing a seven-year peak on hopes for more infrastructure spending and policy stimulus, while oil prices suffered further from excess supply.

Lenders rose with the Bank Nifty up 1.76 per cent. SBI added 1.6 per cent, while HDFC Bank closed up 2.2 per cent.

Recent underperformers also gained. Bharat Heavy Electricals, which fell 5.3 per cent last week, rose 2.6 per cent, while NMDC added 3.4 per cent.

(Reuters)