Fireworks at markets: Sensex hits 35,000 mark for first time, Nifty at new high of 10,761 in late afternoon trade

Mumbai: The benchmark 30-scrip index of the BSE, Sensex, on Wednesday afternoon hit the 35,000-mark for the first time on intra-day trading. It touched 35,002.78 points, BSE data showed. Earlier in the day, the barometer 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE scaled a new high of 34,966.94 points during intra-day trade. It was buoyed by technology and banks stocks.

The 30-share BSE Sensex was up 222.69 points at 34,993.74. The 50-share NSE Nifty surged 58.20 points to 10,758.70. Optimism around quarterly corporate earnings, along with healthy buying in IT, banking and capital goods stocks, lifted the key Indian equity indices to trade at fresh high levels during the mid-afternoon session on Wednesday. Around 1 p.m., the Sensex traded at 34,935.18 points -- up 164.13 points or 0.47 percent -- from its previous session's close.

However, the BSE market breadth was bearish as 1,556 stocks declined as compared to 1,186 advances. On the National Stock Exchange, the wider Nifty50 rose by 45.40 points or 0.42 percent to trade at 10,745.85 points.

Representative picture. Getty images

"IT stocks extended their gains after global brokerage firm Morgan Stanley on Tuesday said Indian IT services stocks could be set for a turnaround in 2018," Dhruv Desai, Director and Chief Operating Officer of Tradebulls, told IANS.

On Tuesday, the benchmark indices closed in the negative zone as sentiments were dampened by higher crude oil prices as well as the country's widening trade deficit. The Nifty50 fell by 41.10 points, or 0.38 percent to close at 10,700.45 points, while the Sensex closed at 34,771.05 points -- down 72.46 points or 0.21 percent.

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