Insurance-linked stocks end mixed after initial euphoria

Paring most of their initial gains, stocks of companies with interest in insurance sector today ended mixed in an overall weak stock market amid profit-booking after Parliament approved the Insurance Bill.

Mumbai: Paring most of their initial gains, stocks of companies with interest in insurance sector today ended mixed in an overall weak stock market amid profit-booking after Parliament approved the Insurance Bill.

After surging 6.71 percent to Rs 521 in intra-day trade, shares of Max India Ltd surrendered the gains and finally ended

at Rs 468.30, down 4.08 percent on the BSE.

Reliance Capital shares ended 3.13 percent lower at Rs 474.60 after earlier rising 5.11 percent to Rs 515.

However, shares of Aditya Birla Nuvo gained 1.27 percent to Rs 1,691.60 and Bajaj Finserv settled 0.81 percent higher at Rs 1,492.15.

These stocks had gained up to 11 percent yesterday on hopes of the Insurance Bill would be passed in Rajya Sabha.

Parliament last night passed Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government's first major economic reform measure as the long-pending Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2015, providing for raising foreign investment cap in the sector to 49 percent was passed by Rajya Sabha after main opposition party (Congress) and some other parties came on board.

The bill, which was passed by Lok Sabha on March 4, provides for raising the foreign investment cap in insurance sector from 26 percent to 49 percent and is expected to bring in funds worth thousands of crores into the sector.

Meanwhile, the stock market witnessed heavy selling, with the BSE benchmark Sensex falling 427.11 points to settle at 28,503.30.

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