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Equity indices gain after PM Modi announces Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus

Equity indices gain after PM Modi announces Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus

Last Updated: May 13 2020 | 12:36 PM IST

Mumbai, May 13 (ANI): Equity benchmark indices traded higher during early hours on Wednesday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an economic stimulus package worth Rs 20 lakh crore amounting to 10 per cent of the GDP to alleviate the pain caused by COVID-19. In an evening address to the nation, the Prime Minister has also said that the countrywide lockdown will extend post-May 17 with new rules to allow more industrial and business activities. At 10:15 am, the BSE S and P Sensex was up by 697 points or 2.22 per cent at 32,068 while the Nifty 50 edged higher by 196 points or 2.13 per cent at 9,393. Except for Nifty pharma, all sectoral indices at the National Stock Exchange were in the positive zone with Nifty private bank up by 3.5 per cent, financial service by 3.1 per cent and auto by 2.8 per cent. Among stocks, private lenders gained the most with ICICI Bank advancing by 5.53 per cent to Rs 338.95 per share, HDFC Bank by 4.1 per cent and Axis Bank by 3.4 per cent. L