Sensex gains 173 points on upbeat tax collection data; auto, banks sectors up

BSE benchmark Sensex on Tuesday rallied over 173 points to close at 26,899.56, snapping its two-session fall, on emergence of buying in auto, banks and metals coupled with encouraging tax collection data ahead of December quarter results.

 The key indices opened on a positive note and stayed range-bound till late afternoon, while investors somewhat sidelined the mixed global cues, dip in monthly auto sales growth data, while consolidating its gains with hectic value buying and tinge short-covering.

Dismissing slowdown concerns post demonetisation as "anecdotal", Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday said tax collection has grown at a decent pace.

For the April-December period of the current fiscal, indirect tax receipts soared 25 per cent to Rs 6.30 lakh crore, which is about 81 per cent of Budget Estimates. Direct tax collection was also up 12.01 per cent at Rs 5.53 lakh crore, 65 per cent of BE. Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit BNP Paribas Financial Services Ltd, said, "The pre-budget rally is having double advantage led by good growth in tax collection creating signs that Q3 results can be better than expected,while fall in dollar is giving a speculative push in the short-term."

Besides, the government has found that an estimated Rs 3-4 lakh crore of tax-evaded income could have been deposited during 50-day window provided to get rid of junked Rs 500/1000 notes.

The Sensex opened higher at 26,811.63 and hovered between 26,914.95 and 26,804.17 before closing at 26,899.56, showing again of 173.01 or 0.65 per cent. The gauge had lost 151.69 points in previous two sessions. The NSE 50-share Nifty also closed higher by 52.55points, or 0.64 per cent, at 8,288.60.

Barring realty counters, buying was today witnessedacross the sectors led by auto, banks, industrials, metal,capital goods and consumer durables.

The broader market, both midcap and smallcap company shares continue to outperform the headline  In mainland China, the Shanghai Composite settled 0.3 per cent lower.