AUG 23 SATURDAY

BARGAIN HUNTING LIFTS EQUITY MARKET

Bargain hunting helped shares end higher on Friday ,

ignoring a rise in the country's inflation rate to its

highest level in over 13 years.

The Bombay Stock Ecshange's 30 stock sensitive index

or sensex rose 157.76 points or 1.1 % to end at 14401.49.

The whole sale price index bsed inflation rate surged

by 12.63 %.

Light sweet crude for October delivery was trading at

$ 120.54 a barrel on the New york Mercantile Exchange

after having jumped $ 5.62 to settle at $ 121,18 a barrel

on Thursday.

On the National Stock Exchange the 50 stock S&P CNX

Nifty rose 43.60 points to close at 4327.45.

GAINERS OF THE DAY

Sterlite rose 4.3 % to Rs 626.75.

Hindalco rose 4.3 % to close at Rs 134.55.

Hindustan Unilever rose 3.7 % Rs 244.85.

Housing Development Finance Corp rose 3.2 % to Rs 2280.

Infosys rose 1.8 % to Rs 1695.05.

Reliance industries gained 1.5 % to Rs 2245.65.