Sensex, Nifty rise; inflation data awaited

(Reuters) – The BSE Sensex and Nifty rose for a fourth straight session on Tuesday, led by gains in Tata Steel Ltd and Bank of Baroda Ltd, with investors keeping an eye out for inflation data due later in the day.

India’s retail inflation is expected to have picked up to a five-month high in August, with consumer prices forecast to rise 3.20 percent from a year ago, a Reuters poll showed.

The Nifty was up 0.5 percent at10,056.00 as of 0609 GMT, while the benchmark Sensex was 0.56 percent higher at 32,059.70.

IndusInd Bank Ltd, which is in exclusive talks to buy microlender Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd, fell 2.4 percent after rising more than 5 percent in the previous session.

“The IndusInd Bank (potential) deal is expected to open up more distribution channels in the banking sector and this expectation is lifting banking stocks,” said Sunil Sharma, chief investment officer at Sanctum Wealth Management.

Bank of Baroda and Axis Bank Ltd were up more than 1 percent each, while HDFC Bank gained for a sixth straight session, climbing as much as 0.9 percent.

Tata Steel Ltd jumped as much as 4.6 percent, its highest since February 2011, after Germany’s Thyssenkrupp AG said talks were in the final stages to merge its European steel business with that of Tata Steel.

ITC Ltd rose as much as 1.4 percent, its third straight session of gains.

Meanwhile, Apple Inc distributor Redington (India) Ltd rose as much as 4.2 percent to hit a record high ahead of the expected launch of “iPhone 8” later on Tuesday.