India’s stock market bellwether Sensex on Friday crossed the 15,000-point milestone on active purchases by FIIs and interest in IT shares, as concerns on interest rate hike eased with inflation within the government’s target.
The 30-share Bombay Stock Exchange Sensitive Index (Sensex), however, ended the day at 14,964.12 - a new closing peak that represents a gain of 102.23 points or 0.69 per cent over Thursday’s close. Buying interest was robust in technology, media, auto and consumer good counters. India’s biggest software company TCS gained 4.4 per cent, while Infosys, whose results are expected on July 11, appreciated 2.85 per cent.
Wipro, which  acquired Singapore-based FMCG firm Unza, rose three per cent, while Satyam was the biggest gainer among IT stocks, with a rise of 5.4 per cent. The broader S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) too scaled a new intra-trade high of 4,411.00 before ending at a fresh closing peak of 4,384.85 from previous close of 4,353.95, a rise of 30.90 points or 0.71 per cent.
Discounting the inflation factor, which rose to 4.13 per cent as of June 23, foreign investors have been consistent buyers in blue chip counters since June 30. They pumped in over Rs 7,400 crore in equity in five days.