<p>The BSE benchmark Sensex rose to fresh lifetime closing high of 22,214.37 points on sustained FII buying in banking and oil & gas shares amid hopes that the economy would be on recovery path soon and Reserve Bank of India would hold interest rates steady.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The 30-share Sensex touched all-time high of 22,307.74 intra-day. This is the fourth day in succession that the key index has risen to record high levels intra-day.<br /><br />The BSE barometer moved for most of the day in the positive terrain before settling at 22,214.37, up 119.07 points or 0.54 per cent from its previous close. <br /><br />The NSE Nifty rose by 40.35 points or 0.61 per cent to end at new peak of 6,641.75. It recorded historical intra-trade high of 6,673.95.<br /><br />Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bought shares worth Rs 1,004.52 crore on Wednesday, as per provisional data with stock exchanges.<br /><br />Brokers also ascribed the rise to hectic short-covering on the last day of March contract of Futures and Options.<br /><br />Some participants, however, warned that the much-needed correction is likely to come after elections.<br /><br />Bourses have been on a rising spree since Monday when it closed above the 22,000-level for the first time with foreign institutional investors (FII) pouring in money into stocks. <br />On Tuesday, it closed lower by a marginal 0.27 points though.<br /><br />Consistent pumping of money by FIIS had lifted the BSE benchmark index Sensex and broader NSE Nifty to their lifetime closing high of 22,095.30 and 6,601.40 points respectively yesterday. <br /><br />Among S&P BSE sectoral indices, consumer durables rose by 1.46 per cent, oil&gas 1.28 per cent, realty 1.06 per cent, power 0.92 per cent, bankex 0.74 per cent and consumer goods 0.69 per cent.<br /><br />The market breadth turned positive as 1,673 stocks ended in the green, 1,127 stocks finished in the red while 161 ruled steady. <br /><br />The total market turnover dropped to Rs 2,285.81 crore from Rs 4,210.86 crore on Wednesday. Of 30 Sensex stocks, 20 ended higher, nine finished lower while Axis Bank ruled steady.<br /><br />Asian markets ended mixed amid concerns that US President Barack Obama might step up pressure on Russia.<br /><br />Key benchmark indices in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan firmed up by 0.48-1.01 per cent, while indices in China and Hong Kong eased by 0.24-0.83 per cent.<br /><br />European markets were also trading narrowly mixed on concerns that the crisis in Ukraine may escalate. <br /><br />Key indices in UK and France eased by 0.05-0.34 per cent, while Germany’s DAX was quoted slightly higher by 0.08 per cent. </p>
<p>The BSE benchmark Sensex rose to fresh lifetime closing high of 22,214.37 points on sustained FII buying in banking and oil & gas shares amid hopes that the economy would be on recovery path soon and Reserve Bank of India would hold interest rates steady.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The 30-share Sensex touched all-time high of 22,307.74 intra-day. This is the fourth day in succession that the key index has risen to record high levels intra-day.<br /><br />The BSE barometer moved for most of the day in the positive terrain before settling at 22,214.37, up 119.07 points or 0.54 per cent from its previous close. <br /><br />The NSE Nifty rose by 40.35 points or 0.61 per cent to end at new peak of 6,641.75. It recorded historical intra-trade high of 6,673.95.<br /><br />Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bought shares worth Rs 1,004.52 crore on Wednesday, as per provisional data with stock exchanges.<br /><br />Brokers also ascribed the rise to hectic short-covering on the last day of March contract of Futures and Options.<br /><br />Some participants, however, warned that the much-needed correction is likely to come after elections.<br /><br />Bourses have been on a rising spree since Monday when it closed above the 22,000-level for the first time with foreign institutional investors (FII) pouring in money into stocks. <br />On Tuesday, it closed lower by a marginal 0.27 points though.<br /><br />Consistent pumping of money by FIIS had lifted the BSE benchmark index Sensex and broader NSE Nifty to their lifetime closing high of 22,095.30 and 6,601.40 points respectively yesterday. <br /><br />Among S&P BSE sectoral indices, consumer durables rose by 1.46 per cent, oil&gas 1.28 per cent, realty 1.06 per cent, power 0.92 per cent, bankex 0.74 per cent and consumer goods 0.69 per cent.<br /><br />The market breadth turned positive as 1,673 stocks ended in the green, 1,127 stocks finished in the red while 161 ruled steady. <br /><br />The total market turnover dropped to Rs 2,285.81 crore from Rs 4,210.86 crore on Wednesday. Of 30 Sensex stocks, 20 ended higher, nine finished lower while Axis Bank ruled steady.<br /><br />Asian markets ended mixed amid concerns that US President Barack Obama might step up pressure on Russia.<br /><br />Key benchmark indices in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan firmed up by 0.48-1.01 per cent, while indices in China and Hong Kong eased by 0.24-0.83 per cent.<br /><br />European markets were also trading narrowly mixed on concerns that the crisis in Ukraine may escalate. <br /><br />Key indices in UK and France eased by 0.05-0.34 per cent, while Germany’s DAX was quoted slightly higher by 0.08 per cent. </p>