Mumbai: Select key counters scored handsome gains aiding the SENSEX to end in positive territory in an otherwise restricted activity on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on February 25 on buying support by speculators as well as Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs).

Investors, however, were extremely cautious and have adopted "wait and watch" attitude in the light of fractured verdict in Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh where the BJP has received a drubbing securing only 108 of the 402 seats.

Market sources said operators also have turned cautious ahead of presentation of the railway budget which might hike rail fares and freight charges.

The BSE Benchmark 30-share Index was trapped in an extremely narrow range of 3618.30 and 3580.89 after opening on a promising note at 3610.21. The SENSEX later finished the session at 3613.51 as against February 22 close of 3604.08, netting a gain of 9.43 points.

The broad-based BSE-100 Index, however, showed small downward variation at 1747.62 from previous close of 1747.81.

FIIs which had made net investments of Rs 772 crore in a week between February 11 and 15, have also slowed down their activity during last week, making net purchases of 344 crore between February 18 and 21 as per figures released by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

Ranbaxy Lab, Zee Telefilms, Telco, HPCL, Dr Reddy's Lab, ACC and BSES were the prominent gainers on fairly good buying from FIIs and local operators.

PTI