Markets close at fresh record highs; Sensex soars 617 points to close above 51,000-mark for 1st time

New Delhi: Markets extended rally for the sixth straight session on Monday with equity benchmark Sensex closing above the 51,000-mark for the first time.

Sensex index ended 617.14 points or 1.22 per cent higher at its record closing peak of 51,348.77. The BSE Sensex touched intraday lifetime high of 51,523.38. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty surged 191.55 points or 1.28 per cent to its lifetime closing high of 15,115.80. It touched an intra-day record of 15,159.90.

Union budget-inspired rally continued, with banks and automakers leading broad-based gains. Major gainers in the Sensex pack were M&M, Bajaj Finserve, Bharti Airtel, Powergrid, Infosys, ICICI Bank, Tech Mahindra, LT, Axis Bank, ONGC, Titan, and TCS, rising upto 7.23 percent. On the other hand, major losers were HUL, Kotak Bank, Bajaj Finance, ITC, Bajaj Auto and Sun Pharma, falling upto 1.43 percent.

The rupee fell by 4 paise to close at 72.97 against the US dollar. At the Interbank Foreign Exchange (forex), the rupee opened sharply higher at 72.86 against the dollar. 

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) were net buyers in the capital market as they purchased shares worth Rs 1,461.71 crore on Friday, as per exchange data.