Mumbai: Share prices, particularly from Information Technology (IT) sector, resumed higher on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) today (Dec 30, 2003) following firm overseas advices.

Led by software bellweather Infosys Tech, IT counters displayed a firm trend due to positive guidance from New York Stock Exchange, where the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index flared up by 33.34 points last night. The Dow Jones Industrial Averages also shot up by 125.33 points.

The BSE-30 share sensitive index opened remarkably up at 5,831.78 and moved irregularly in a range between 5,873.07 and 5,793.35 before being quoted at 5,821.11 at 10.35 hrs (IST) as against yesterday's close of 5,797.33.

South East Asian markets also exhibited a firm trend in the morning. The Singapore Straight Times Index was up by nearly 28 points, The Hang Seng by 160 points and the Nikkei by 176 points in the morning session.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were said to have slowed down their activity due to year-end holidays, while local funds picked up select IT shares in small lots.

Among major gainers, Spice was quoted up by 5.09 per cent, Corporation Bank by 4.03 per cent, Bongaingaon Refin by 3.84 per cent, PNB by 3.62 per cent, Silverline by 3.57 per cent, Jindal steel by 3.44 per cent, Moser Baer by 2.69 per cent, MTNL by 2.64 per cent, HCL Info by 2.25 per cent and Mphasis BFL by 2.20 per cent.

However, SAIL, HMT, Indorama Synth, TN News Print, GTL Ltd and Syngenta showed marked falls on profit selling.