Sensex closes at near nine-month high after surging 724 points

Mumbai: Markets extended gains for fourth straight session on Thursday with both equity indices soaring 1.78 percent.

The BSE Sensex closed 724.02 points or 1.78 percent higher at 41,340.16. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty zoomed 211.80 points or 1.78 percent to finish at 12,120.30.

All Sensex components closed in the green. SBI was the top gainer, soaring over 5 percent, followed by Tata Steel, IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, HCL Tech, Asian Paints, Titan, ITC, Axis Bank, Kotak Bank and RIL, rising upto 5.34 percent.

Elsewhere in Asia, bourses in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul and Tokyo ended with significant gains. Stock exchanges in Europe were also trading on a positive note in early deals.

The rupee meanwhile zoomed 40 paise to close at 74.36 against the US dollar.

In the previous session, Sensex ended 355.01 points or 0.88 per cent higher at 40,616.14, while Nifty climbed 95 points or 0.80 per cent to 11,908.50.

Foreign institutional investors remained net buyers in the capital market as they purchased shares worth Rs 146.22 crore on a net basis on Wednesday, according to provisional exchange data.