Mumbai, Nov 1 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian stock markets hit its third straight record closing high at 21,196.81 points Friday. The market barometer also crossed its highest level so far intra-day.

The 30-scrip S&P Sensex of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) closed 32.29 points or 0.15 percent higher at 21,196.81 points (provisionally), from the previous day's close at 21,164.52 points. This is the highest closing level of the benchmark index so far.

The Sensex surpassed its highest so far level of 21,206.77 points on Jan 10, 2008 in the intra-day trade when it touched 21,293.88 points.

All the stocks were in green and the rally was led by banking index (bankex), auto, metal, healthcare and capital goods sectors.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also made gains. It ended at 6,307.20 points (provisionally), up 8.05 points or 0.13 percent.

Healthy buying was observed in bank, metal and automobile sectors. However, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), consumer durables and information technology (IT).

The S&P BSE Bank index was up 164.41 points, followed by automobile index which was higher by 146.01 points and metal index, which gained 116.44 points.

However, FMCG index was 64.22 points down, consumer durables index was down 52.38 points and IT sector was down 43.22 points.

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