Mumbai, Jan 2 (IANS): There was bullish trend at the Indian equities markets for the second day of the new year, as the key index Nifty Wednesday soared past the psychological resistance level of the 6,000-points mark for the first time in two years.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened in the positive at 19,693.30 points, was ruling at 19,741.24 points in the afternoon session, up 0.82 percent or 160.43 points from its previous day's close at 19,580.81 points.

The benchmark Sensex touched a high of 19,756.68 points and low of 19,686.50 points in the intra-day.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange crossed the 6000-points mark for the first time since Jan 7, 2011. The Nifty was trading 0.87 percent or 51.55 points higher at 6,002.40 points in the afternoon.

The Indian stock markets have rallied for the second consecutive day after the US lawmakers approved a budget deal under which taxes would remain steady for the middle class to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff".

The positive news from the US has sparked broad-based buying in the Indian equities markets. Most of the sectoral indices were trading with decent gains.

The BSE consumer durables index was up 1.92 percent. The capital goods index was ruling 1.48 percent higher, the oil and gas index was up 1.37 percent and the metal index was trading 1.14 percent higher.