The domestic barometers were trading firm in early afternoon trade. The Nifty index was trading tad above 14,700 mark. Pharma, realty and FMCG shares were in demand.
At 12:20 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, rose 179.11 points or 0.36% at 49,338.43. The Nifty 50 index gained 71 points or 0.49% at 14,708.80.
In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index added 1.04% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index rose 0.93%.
The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 1,713 shares rose and 960 shares fell. A total of 161 shares were unchanged.
Derivatives:
The NSE's India VIX, a gauge of market's expectation of volatility over the near term, fell 1.30% to 20.9375. The Nifty 29 April 2021 futures were trading at 14,788.95, at a premium of 80.15 points as compared with the spot at 14,708.80.