Sensex recaptures 50,000-level, Nifty above 15,000
Mumbai, May 18 (PTI): Equity benchmark Sensex rallied 613 points to settle above the 50,000-mark on Tuesday, driven by gains in index-heavyweights HDFC Bank, Reliance Industries and Bajaj Finance amid a positive trend in global markets.
At the closing bell, the 30-share BSE index was quoted 612.60 points or 1.24 per cent higher at 50,193.33.
Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty went past the psychological 15,000-level, and closed 184.95 points or 1.24 per cent higher at 15,108.10.
M&M was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rallying nearly 6 per cent, followed by Bajaj Auto, Titan, Bajaj Finance, HDFC Bank and PowerGrid.
Bharti Airtel, ITC, Dr Reddy’s and SBI were the laggards. “Domestic equities extended gains as early sign of decline in COVID-19 daily caseload and improving prospects of faster economic recovery emboldened investors,” said Binod Modi, Head Strategy at Reliance Securities.
Strong cues from Asian markets also supported the rally, he added.
Elsewhere in Asia, bourses in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Seoul ended on a positive note. Stock exchanges in Europe were also trading with gains in mid-session deals.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 surged 2.1% to finish at 28,406.84. South Korea’s Kospi gained 1.2% to 3,173.05. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 0.6% to 77,066.00. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng jumped 1.4% to 28,593.81, while the Shanghai Composite edged up 0.3% to 3,529.01.
France’s CAC 40 gained 0.4% in early trading to 6,390.95, while Germany’s DAX gained 0.5% to 15,467.48. Britain’s FTSE 200 added 0.5% to 7,065.67. US shares were set for gains, with Dow futures up 0.3% at 34.352.0. S&P 500 futures rose 0.4% to 4,172.88.
