Sensex closes at all-time high

New Delhi: The markets closed higher amid buying in capital goods, auto, pharma and FMCG stocks. The Sensex hit a new high of 10195.51 in intraday trade.

The markets closed higher. The Sensex closed up 88.81 points or 0.88 per cent at 10168.11. It touched an all-time high of 10195.51.

The Nifty closed up 29.65 points or 0.99 per cent at 3033.50. It touched an intraday high 3042.05 and an intraday low of 3008.55.

The CNX Midcap Index closed up 28.80 points or 0.67 per cent at 4340.35. It touched an intraday high 4358.40 and an intraday low of 4319.25.

The BSE Small Cap Index closed up 49.22 points or 0.80 per cent at 6195.23. The BSE Midcap Index closed up 32.57 points or 0.69 per cent at 4751.27.

The market breadth was positive, about 1235 shares advanced, 1178 shares declined, and 65 shares remained unchanged. The total market turnover was at Rs 40,598.29 crore.

Bajaj Auto, Sail, Larsen, Dr Reddy’s Labs and BHEL were the biggest index gainers.

Experts feel that volatility will remain in the markets, however they do not rule out a pre-Budget rally.

The BSE Capital Goods Index outperformed the other indices. It closed up 2.33 per cent at 7137.40 amid gains in Carborundum, Larsen, Crompton Greave, SKF India, BHEL, BEML, Greaves Cotton, Siemens and Alstom Projects.

Auto stocks including Bajaj Auto, Hindustan Motors, Ashok Leyland, Exide Industries, Escorts, Bharat Forge, Hero Honda and Tata Motors also moved up. The BSE Auto Index closed up 2.09 per cent at 4928.36.

Metal stocks including Sail, Sesa Goa, Nalco, Hindustan Zinc, JSW Steel, Tata Steel and Sterlite Industries also ended in the green. The BSE Metal Index closed up 1.73 per cent at 6980.31.

Pharma stocks including Dr Reddy's Labs, Orchid Chemical, Wockhardt, Lupin, Biocon, Sun Pharma, GSK Pharma, Ranbaxy Labs and Matrix Lab also firmed up. The BSE Healthcare Index closed up 1.60 per cent at 3605.78.

FMCG stocks like Britannia, Colgate, Nestle, Shaw Wallace and ITC also gained. The BSE FMCG Index closed up 0.40 per cent at 1907.58.

Buying was also seen in select technology, banking, oil and consumer durables stocks.

The BSE IT Index closed up 0.24 per cent at 3683.80 and the BSE Bankex closed up 0.19 per cent at 5091.35. The BSE Consumer Durables Index closed up 0.22 per cent at 3205.42. The BSE Oil & Gas Index closed up 0.10 per cent at 4441.60.