Mumbai, Sep 6 (IANS) A benchmark index for Indian equities Monday rallied 338 points to close at a 31-month high, helped by positive sentiments across global bourses.
All 13 sectoral indices on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE)were in the positive. Metals, banking, realty, energy, and IT scrips saw healthy buys.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex)of the BSE, which opened at 18,124.29 points, closed at 18,560.05 points, 338.62 points or 1.86 percent up from its previous close at 18,221.43 points.
The Sensex touched an intra-day high of 18,600.3 points. This level was last seen in Jan 2008.
At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty shut shop 1.78 percent higher at 5,576.95 points.
Broader markets indices also closed the day in the green, with the BSE midcap ending 1.31 percent up and the BSE smallcap index closing 1.83 percent higher.
The market breadth was positive with 2,072 scrips advancing, compared to 881 stocks declining and 123 remaining unchanged.
The major gainers on the Sensex were Tata Steel, up 6.6 percent at Rs.575.60; Hindalco Industries, up 4.78 percent at Rs.178.55; ICICI Bank, up 3.81 percent at Rs.1,037.70; and Sterlite Industries, up 3.69 percent at Rs.164.40.
There were only four losers on the 30-scrip Sensex: Hero Honda, down 1.92 percent at Rs.1,702.90; Reliance Com, down 0.31 percent at Rs.162.90; Hindustan Unilever down 0.22 percent at Rs.271.45, and L&T down 0.07 percent at Rs.1,833.60.
Other Asian markets were in the green with investors displaying robust buying appetite after the US payroll data released Friday showed a fewer than expected number of people were without jobs.
The Japanese Nikkei closed 2.05 percent higher at 9,301.32 points.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng ended 1.83 percent up at 21,355.77 points. The Chinese Shanghai Composite index closed 1.54 percent higher at 2,696.25 points.
European bourses too opened on a positive note, helped by the global sentiments post the release of the US non-farm payroll data.
At the closing bell here, the FTSE 100 was trading 0.35 percent higher at 5,447.22 points.
The German DAX was ruling 0.33 percent up at 6,154.79 points and the French CAC 40 rose 0.36 percent higher at 3,685.35 points.
