Mumbai: Benchmark Sensex zoomed over 352 points Friday to close above the 37,000-mark for the first time, while the broader NSE Nifty too breached the historic 11,200-level on widespread buying led by consumption and capital goods sectors.
Better-than-expected quarterly earnings by select index heavyweights, easing of US-EU trade tensions and firm foreign capital inflows boosted investor sentiment, brokers said.
Continuing its record-setting run for the fifth straight session, the 30-share Sensex hit a new high of 37,368.62 (intra-day) on the back of gains in FMCG, consumer durables, metal, oil and gas, telecom and banking counters.
It finally settled at 37,336.85, up 352.21 points, or 0.0.95 per cent — breaching its previous closing record of 36,984.64 reached Thursday.
The BSE benchmark advanced to the 37,000-level from 36,000 in six months (January 23 to July 27).
Meanwhile, the NSE Nifty touched a new intra-day high of 11,283.40, before closing at a record 11,278.35 — showing a gain of 111.05 points, or 0.99 per cent.
It bettered its previous record close of 11,167.30 reached in Thursday’s trade.
ITC was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, surging 5.24 per cent to Rs 302.20, after it posted a 10 per cent increase in standalone net profit at Rs 2,818.68 crore for the June quarter.
Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 2,453.57 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold equities worth Rs 2,716.04 crore yesterday, provisional data showed.