Mumbai, Jan 1 (IANS): Sensex closed over 180 points higher from the previous close after a sharp recovery in the final hour of the trade on Tuesday, thereby regaining the 36,000 mark.

Both the key indices opened on a flat-to-positive note, but traded in the red for most part of the trading session. The S&P BSE Sensex gained around 200 points in the last hour of trade.

Stocks of the realty sector on NSE and BSE out-performed the major indices throughout the session, ending with 2.21 per cent gains.

That apart, finance stocks also edged higher, gaining close to 1 per cent.

The Sensex settled 186.24 points or 0.52 per cent higher at 36,254.57 after touching an intra-day high of 36,284.04 and a low of 35,888.62.

The Nifty50 closed at 10,910.10 up 47.55 points or 0.44 per cent.

Bharti Airtel led the gains on Sensex with 2.76 per cent gains. HDFC, Yes Bank, HDFC Bank, State Bank of India and Axis Bank inched up in a range of 1 to 2 per cent.

In contrast, Mahindra and Mahindra lost 3.75 per cent over dismal December sales figures released earlier in the day.

Tata Steel, ONGC, Hindustan Uniliver, IndusInd Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank declined upto 1.20 per cent.