Image Source : FILE Business stock exchange building.

The equity benchmark indices BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty surged to record highs on Tuesday. The Sensex closed at a new peak of 80,351.64, up 391.26 points, after hitting an intra-day high of 80,397. Meanwhile, the Nifty ended at 24,433.20, gaining 112.65 points and closing above the 24,400 mark for the first time in history.

Key contributors and sector performances

Leading the gains in the Sensex were Maruti Suzuki India, Mahindra & Mahindra, ITC, Titan Company, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, and Tata Motors. Conversely, Reliance Industries, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Bajaj Finance, HCL Technologies, Tata Steel, and Tech Mahindra were the biggest laggards.

Sector highlights

  • Auto sector: The Uttar Pradesh government’s decision to waive registration fees on strong hybrid cars boosted Maruti Suzuki’s stock by 7%. Mahindra & Mahindra rose 3%, and Hero MotoCorp increased by 2%.
  • FMCG sector: ITC led the sector with a 2% gain ahead of the budget announcement.
  • Pharma sector: Sun Pharma and Divi’s Laboratories saw significant gains.
  • Chemical stocks: PI Industries rallied following a positive brokerage note.

Other market movements

  • The Nifty Bank Index gained 143 points, closing at 52,569.
  • The Midcap Index added 189 points, finishing at 57,078.
  • MCX closed 2% lower amid volatility due to a reported technical glitch.
  • Godrej Consumer Products ended 1% lower, and CONCOR saw a minor cut following their quarterly updates.
  • Metropolis Healthcare closed flat despite earlier gains.
  • CESC jumped 6% on reports of a tariff hike in West Bengal.

Previous session performance

On Monday, the BSE benchmark had declined 36.22 points to settle at 79,960.38, and the NSE Nifty had dipped 3.30 points to 24,320.55.

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