Sensex scales fresh high on buying in RIL, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank

Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty soared to new lifetime highs on Thursday, fuelled by robust buying in market heavyweights Reliance, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank amid a recent surge in foreign capital inflows.

Rallying for the sixth straight session, the 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 141.34 points or 0.18 per cent to settle at a new closing peak of 77,478.93. During the day, it surged 305.5 points or 0.39 per cent to 77,643.09.

The NSE Nifty rose 51 points or 0.22 per cent to settle at its fresh closing high of 23,567. Intra-day, it soared 108 points or 0.45 per cent to 23,624.

Among the 30 Sensex companies, JSW Steel, Tata Steel, Axis Bank, Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank, Hindustan Unilever, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Asian Paints were among the biggest gainers.

In contrast, Mahindra & Mahindra, Sun Pharma, NTPC, Wipro, State Bank of India and Power Grid were among the laggards.

In Asian markets, Seoul and Tokyo settled in the green, while Shanghai and Hong Kong ended lower.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) bought equities worth Rs 7,908.36 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude climbed 0.16 per cent to $85.21 a barrel.