Sensex struggles to maintain momentum post GST rollout

The 30-share index was up 131.84 points, or 0.42 percent, at 31,353.46. Sectoral indices led by metal, realty, power, consumer durables, oil and gas, auto and banking made headway.

New Delhi: The benchmark Sensex moved in a small range with a negative bias Tuesday, hit by a fresh spell of selling in consumer durables, capital goods and realty.

Energy shares traded up.

The Sensex resumed higher at 31,331.21 and hovered between 31,353.46 and 31,174.24 before reading 31,203.62, down 18 points, or 0.06 percent.

The NSE Nifty was also down 7.50 points, or 0.08 percent, to 9,607.50.

Major losers were Hero MotoCorp (2.09 percent), Dr Reddy's (1.45 percent), Wipro (1.29 percent) and Axis Bank (1.19 percent).

Asian shares rose on market strength in the United States as oil's longest stretch of daily price gains in over five years lifted the energy counter. Markets in Seoul were briefly shaken by a missile launch by North Korea, which comes on the eve of the Independence Day in the US.

Better-than-expected auto sales and a strong report on US factories also boosted stocks.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 804.67 crore yesterday, as per provisional data.