Sensex sluggish, up 43.72 points

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At 11.55 a.m., the 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 15,940.73 points, was ruling at 15,977.93 points, up 42.32 points or 0.27 percent from its previous close at 15,935.61 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S and P CNX Nifty was at 4,774.35 points, against the previous close at 4,760.4 points, a gain of 0.29 percent or 13.95 points.

Broader markets were also in a slump with the BSE midcap index up 0.24 percent and the BSE small cap index trading 0.37 percent higher.

Of the 13 BSE sectoral indices, with IT, telcom, and healthcare stocks saw buying interest, while realty and energy scrips were under selling pressure.

The market breadth was positive, with as many as 1,434 stocks advancing, compared to 1,094 on the decline and 88 remaining unchanged.

Other Asian markets were also sluggish.

The benchmark Japanese index, Nikkei, was ruling 0.19 percent lower at 9,932.9 points, while and the Hang Seng of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange was up 0.18 percent at 19,586.19 points.

The Chinese Shanghai composite index too was in the positive territory, at 2,937.93 points, 0.09 percent down, while the Korean Kospi was ruling 1.14 percent higher at 1,570.49 points.