Domestic equity barometers were trading higher in early afternoon trade. The moderation in daily new COVID-19 cases in India improved risk sentiments. The Nifty index hovered tad above 15,200 mark.
At 12:20 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, rose 140.06 points or 0.28% at 50,680.54. The Nifty 50 index gained 32.50 points or 0.21% at 15,207.80.
In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.98% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index gained 0.82%.
The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 1,909 shares rose and 1,108 shares fell. A total of 184 shares were unchanged.
Derivatives:
The NSE's India VIX, a gauge of market's expectation of volatility over the near term, rose 0.64% to 19.2025. The Nifty 27 May 2021 futures were trading at 15,212.35, at a premium of 4.55 points compared with the spot at 15,207.80.