Mumbai, June 1 : Despite volatile trade and little support for heavyweight stocks, Indian shares registered marginal gains Wednesday with energy, software, automobile and pharmaceutical stocks keeping key indices in positive territory.

Even though the day began on a positive note, the markets came under pressure within an hour into trading, with profit booking in heavyweight stocks resulting in wide fluctuations.

Yet the sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange managed to keep itself afloat above the crucial 6,700-point mark.

The barometer index, which opened the day at 6,729.39 points, saw a day's low of 6,710.37 points and a high of 6,763.28 points, before ending the day at 6,729.90 points.

In the process, it ended with a marginal gain of 14.79 points or 0.22 percent over the previous day's close at 6,715.11 points. The index has gained 2.11 percent in the past week and 9.35 percent in the past month.

Of the total 30 shares in the representative index, 17 made advances while 13 others declined.

"The early monsoon showers have definitely helped in boosting sentiments," said an analyst with a brokerage here. "Also, domestic institutions have been investing heavily in the markets and that is keeping the markets bullish."

Nevertheless, he said, the lack of visible interest from foreign institutional investors and the fact that it was too early to predict the outcome of the monsoons was keeping a check on the sentiments.

Among the Sensex shares, Hindustan Lever led gainers with its shares rising 4.33 percent at Rs.149.35, followed by Bajaj Auto, up 2.35 percent at Rs.1,256.20, and Reliance Energy, up 2.08 percent at Rs. 527.10.

The losers were led by Tata Power, down 2.43 percent at Rs.377.15, followed by Tata Iron and Steel, down 1.82 percent at Rs.356.25, State Bank of India, down 1.61 percent at Rs.659.90 and Hindalco, down 1.52 percent at Rs.1,113.25.


(IANS)