Sensex up over 128 points in early trade

The BSE benchmark Sensex on Wednesday rose by over 128 points in early trade, extending gains for the second straight session on sustained buying by funds amid a firm trend in other Asian bourses.

The 30-share index, which had gained 265.21 points on Tuesday, rose further by 128.41 points, or 0.67 per cent, to 19,271.58 points with all sectoral indices, led by capital goods, metal and realty, gaining up to 1.21 per cent.

The wide-based Nifty of the National Stock Exchange moved up by 36.75 points, or 0.63 per cent, to 5,821.00.

Brokers said sustained buying by funds as well as retail investors tracking a firming trend on other Asian bourses after U.S. markets closed at record high on Tuesday amid signs of continuing economic recovery and globally accommodative monetary conditions, mainly buoyed the trading sentiment.

In other Asian markets, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose by 0.80 per cent, while Japan’s Nikkei by 1.65 per cent in early trade on Wednesday.

The U.S. Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.89 per cent to close at record high on Tuesday.