Sensex rises for third straight session to a two-week high

Mumbai: Rising for the third straight session, benchmark Sensex gained about 44 points to close at over two-week high of 26,394.01 on gains in select bluechips.

Sentiment remained upbeat for the better part of the day after the government yesterday provided yet another opportunity to black money holders to legalise their wealth, brokers said.

The 30-share Sensex rose 43.84 points or 0.17 percent to close at 26,394.01, its highest closing since November 11, when it had closed at 26,818.82.

Intra-day, it shuttled between 26,587.07 and 26,354.66. The gauge had gained 490 points in the previous two sessions.

The NSE Nifty, after touching a high of 8,197.35, slipped to 8,128.70 before closing 15.25 points, or 0.19 percent, higher at 8,142.15.

The government has proposed to tax at 50 percent the unaccounted demonetised cash that is disclosed voluntarily till December 30, after which a steep up to 85 percent tax and penalty will be levied on undisclosed wealth that is discovered by authorities.