Equity indices up marginally, metal stocks gain

Equity benchmark indices rose marginally during early hours on Tuesday with metal and select IT stocks gaining momentum.

However, investors watched the tally of Covid-19's second wave and its impact on demand slowdown due to lockdowns and curfews.

At 10:30 am, the BSE SandP Sensex was up by 229 points or 0.47 per cent at 48,615 while the Nifty 50 edged higher by 74 points or 0.51 per cent to 14,559.

All sectoral indices at the National Stock Exchange were in green zone with Nifty metal surging by 2.35 per cent, realty by 0.7 per cent, auto by 0.5 per cent and FMCG by 0.2 per cent.

Among stocks, Hindalco moved up by 5.9 per cent to Rs 369 per share while Tata Steel rose by 2.6 per cent.

Index heavyweight Reliance Industries lifted by 1.8 per cent to Rs 1,972.25 per share.