The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange stood a solid 286 points, or 1.5 percent in positive territory, at 18,838 in afternoon trade, a short while ago. Earlier in the morning, the Sensex had opened with a strong gain of 201 points, or 1.1 percent, at 18,753 on fresh buying by funds, triggered by a firm global trend.

Stock markets in Japan, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Taiwan and Singapore had gained between 0.4 percent and 2.7 percent, today, after the US first-quarter GDP growth was revised down to 1.8 percent, from the earlier estimate of 2.4 percent. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average had ended 1 per cent higher in yesterday's trade.
Recovering from its all-time low, the rupee appreciated 32 paise, to 60.40 against the dollar, in early trade at the Interbank Foreign Exchange market, today. The rupee rose on fresh selling of the US currency by banks and exporters. Weakening of the dollar against other currencies in the overseas market, and fresh foreign funds inflows into the domestic equity markets also helped the rupee recover.

The rupee had tanked by a massive 106 paise, to close at an all-time low of 60.72 against dollar, yesterday.