Mumbai: Select heavyweighted stocks rallied smartly at the fag end aiding the SENSEX to extend its gains, albeit marginal, to fourth session in a row in dull trading on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on February 20 on selling pressure alternated by later buying by speculators.

HLL, Infosys Technologies, Satyam Computers and HPCL that have high weightage in the BSE barometer, scored handsome gains on hectic buying by speculators at the fag end.

As a result, the BSE Benchmark 30-share Index which opened fractionally lower at 3301.81 and later fluctuated in an extremely narrow range between 3307.87 and 3284.58 later ended at 3303.22 as against yesterday's close of 3302.04, netting a minor rise of 1.18 points.

The broad-based BSE-100 Index also edged up slightly to 1635.73 from previous close of 1635.54.

Brokers said Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) have slowed down activity and domestic investors seemed to have turned cautious in the light of negative international developments like rising crude oil prices and a slide in New York stocks on February 19.

The Dow Jones Industrials Average dropped 40.55 points and the Nasdaq Composite Index shed 12.22 points last night.

The crude oil price hit a new 29-month high and reportedly was nearing levels not seen since 1990 as the US prepares for a potential war in Iraq at a time when crude supplies are extremely tight.

Initially, IT sector witnessed selling pressure but later attracted investors at lower levels, brokers added.

PTI