Sensex Nifty extend record-breaking spree on global cues

Mumbai: Extending their bull run for the seventh straight session, the BSE Sensex  on Friday scaled another peak of 29,389.18 and the NSENifty breached the 8,800-mark for the first time in opening trade, driven by positive global cues triggered by European Central Bank’s stimulus measures. 

The benchmark BSE Sensex climbed 383.16 points, or 1.32 %, to trade at a new high of 29,389.18, breaking its previous record of 29,060.41 (intra-day) touched in Thursday’s trade. 

The benchmark index had gained 1,659.20 points in the previous six sessions. 

The National Stock Exchange index Nifty breached the landmark 8,800-mark for the first time to hit a new peak of 8,862.75 by gaining 101.35 points, or 1.16 %. It surpassed previous intra-day high of 8,774.15 touched on Thursday. 

Brokers said apart from strong capital inflows, rally on the global markets following the European Central Bank’s (ECB) announcement of a bigger-than-expected stimulus programme to kickstart the eurozone economy boosted sentiments. 

The ECB said on Thursday it would buy 60 billion euros a month of private and public bonds from March until September 2016. 

Among other Asian markets, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was up by 1.37 %, while Japan’s Nikkei rose 1.11 % in early trade on Friday. 

The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 1.48 % higher in Thursday’s trade.