Mumbai, March 26 (IANS): A benchmark index of the Indian equities markets Wednesday touched a new high for the third consecutive time this week at 22,172.20 points.
The Sensex hit record high of 22,079.96 points Tuesday and 22,074.34 points Monday.
The 30-scrip S&P Sensex (sensitive index) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 22,134.71 points, ended trade at a new closing high of 22,095.30 points, 40.09 points or 0.18 percent up from the previous day's close at 22,055.21 points.
The Sensex touched a high of 22,172.20 points and a low of 22,020.58 points during the day's trade.
The 50-scrip Nifty too touched a record high for the third time this week. Nifty touched a high of 6,627.45 points in the day's trade, before closing at 6,601.40 points, up 11.65 points or 0.18 percent.
Buying was observed in metal, capital goods, automobile, oil and gas and bank stocks.
However, healthcare, consumer durables, information technology (IT), fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and technology, entertainment and media (TECk) sectors scrip came under selling pressure.
"The benchmark indices closed in the green once again with the Nifty closing above the 6,600 mark. Continued optimism on the outcome of the general elections and supportive global markets kept sentiments positive," said Dipen Shah, head - private client group research, Kotak Securities.
"The important events to watch out for will be the RBI meeting on April 1 and the quarterly results, which will follow the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) meet (April 1). With F&O (futures and options) expiry tomorrow, markets may be volatile."
Sector-wise, the S&P BSE metal index went was up 251.29 points, capital goods index gained 158.21 points, automobile index increased by 123.21 points, oil and gas index rose 104.51 points and bank index edged higher by 87.95 points.
The S&P BSE healthcare index fell 186.51 points, followed by the consumer durables index, which slid 86.58 points, IT index was down 79.54 points, FMCG index edged lower by 47.53 points and TECk index declined 34.38 points..
The major Sensex gainers were: Sesa Sterlite, up 4.23 percent at Rs.182.45; Hindalco Inds, up 3.77 percent at Rs.125.20; Tata Motors, up 2.70 percent at Rs.401.25; Coal India, up 2.35 percent at Rs.280.35; and Larsen and Toubro (L&T), up 2.15 percent at Rs.1,275.20.
Sensex loosers were: Dr Reddy's Lab, down 3.13 percent at Rs.2,636.05; Sun Pharma, down 2.23 percent at Rs.566.40; Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), down 2.21 percent at Rs.2,098.35; Mahindra and Mahindra, down 1.63 percent at Rs.959.10 and Cipla, down 1.07 percent at Rs.387.