Mumbai, March 28 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Friday touched a record high of 22,363.97 points for the fifth consecutive day, surpassing its previous record high of 22,307.74 points hit Thursday.

The rally was led by banking, metal, capital goods and healthcare sectors.

The 30-scrip S&P Sensex of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 22,273.44 points, closed at 22,339.97 points, up 125.60 points or 0.57 percent from its previous day close at 22,214.37 points.

It touched a high of 22,363.97 points and a low of 22,185.11 points intra-day.

The S&P BSE bankex went up by 171.01 points, metal index gained 145.28 points, capital goods index moved up by 93.43 points and healthcare index inched up by 84.06 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) closed trade at 54.15 points or 0.82 percent up at 6,695.90 points.

Major Sensex gainers were: Tata Power, up 4.54 percent at Rs.86.40; Hindalco Industries, up 4.07 percent at Rs.130.35; State Bank of India, up 3.41 percent at Rs.1902.25 and NTPC, up 3.29 percent at Rs.120.85

Major Sensex losers were: Bajaj Auto, down 0.76 percent at Rs.2055.95; ONGC, down 0.35 percent at Rs.328.25; HDFC Bank, down 0.27 percent at Rs.744.95 and ITC, down 0.26 percent at Rs.359.

Among the Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 0.50 percent up; Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed 1.06 percent up; while China's Shanghai Composite Index was down by 0.24 percent.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 was trading 0.05 percent up, Germany's DAX Index was up by 0.82 percent and the French CAC 40 Index was up by 0.35 percent.

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