Business / Sensex hits 46,100, Nifty ends above 13,500 as markets close at record high

Mumbai: Continuing its record-breaking streak, the domestic equity market scaled yet another milestone on Wednesday amid broad-based buying and positive global cues. Among headline indices, the S&P BSE Sensex ended above the crucial 46,000 level for the first time ever at 46,103.50, up 495 points or 1.09 per cent. It was the fifth straight session of gain for the 30-share index. 

On the NSE, the broader Nifty50 index ended above 13,500 level at 13,529, up 136 points, or 1.02 per cent. The index rallied for the seventh day in a row. 

Meanwhile, volatility index, India VIX, gained 1.62 per cent to 18.92 levels. 

HDFC Bank, Reliance Industries (RIL), Infosys, and Asian Paints were among the top contributors to the Sensex's gain today.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE MidCap index rose 0.4 per cent to 17,596 levels and the S&P BSE SmallCap index settled at 17,577, up 86 points, or 0.49 per cent. 

Among sectoral indices on NSE, Nifty Bank ended nearly 1.5 per cent higher at 30,709 levels while Nifty IT and Nifty FMCG gained 0.8 per cent each. Nifty PSU Bank index, however, slipped 1 per cent to 1,838.55 levels. 

Global markets

European shares hit February highs on Wednesday, joining a global stock market rally on optimism around progress in Covid-19 vaccines and US stimulus package, while all eyes turned to make-or-break Brexit talks.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index and London’s FTSE 100 both climbed 0.3 per cent.

Globally, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq hit record highs overnight, and Asia shares followed suit.

In commodities, oil prices inched higher, paring earlier losses, as positive news on Covid-19 vaccines lifted investor hopes for a recovery in fuel demand, outweighing concerns over an unexpected jump in US oil inventories last week.