Sensex regains 17k mark after a month; gains 202 pts

The Bombay Stock Exchange 30-scrip index, Sensex, which had gained 149 points yesterday firmed further by 202.19 points to 17,065, highest close since August 11. Intra-day, it had touched a high of 17,157.21.

Brokers said buying picked up on firm global trend. Asian markets gained and European markets also opened strong. Investors picked up strong stocks available at cheaper levels following a 8.4 per cent fall in the market in August.

The broad-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty gained 60.35 points to 5,124.65, after rising to 5,154.50 as stocks of realty, power and banking sector ended higher. RIL, with heaviest weight on the Sensex, notched up 1.32 per cent to Rs 831.70, amid comments by BP Plc that it is confident of raising natural gas production from eastern KG-D6 block in two years time. The British firm last month completed USD 7.2 billion acquisition of 30 per cent stake in 21 oil and gas blocks that Reliance operates in India.

The realty sector index gained the most, up 3.42 per cent at 1,807.19 as Jaiprakash Associates rose 7.70 per cent to Rs 71.35, the highest level since July 28. DLF Ltd, the largest real estate developer, shot up by 2.69 per cent to Rs 204.

Power index remained the second best performer, adding 2.43 per cent to 2,251.94 followed by capital goods by 2.12 per cent to 12,466.91. Banking index rose by 2.12 per cent to 11,283.03.

BHEL, Larsen and Toubro, State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Power and Coal India supported the gains.