Mumbai, March 22 (IANS) A benchmark index of Indian equities markets climbed nearly one percent Tuesday on positive cues from other Asian markets as Japan made substantial progress in averting a nuclear meltdown.
The 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened in the positive at 17,929.09 points, soared past the psychologically important 18,000-mark in intra-day trade.
The benchmark Sensex settled at 17,988.30, up 0.84 percent or 149.25 points from the previous close of 17,839.05 points. It touched a high of 18,041.22 points and a low of 17,878.80 points during intra-day.
At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty closed 0.92 percent or 49.10 points higher at 5,413.85 points.
All the broader markets and sectoral indices also closed in the positive. The BSE midcap index rose 0.79 percent at 6,543.54 points and the BSE smallcap closed 0.54 percent higher at 7,817.65 points.
There was strong buying support in realty, auto and healthcare stocks. At the BSE, the realty index climbed 2.19 percent. Auto and healthcare indices rose 1.53 percent and 1.10 percent, respectively.
Maruti Suzuki climbed 3.58 percent at Rs.1,171.85. Other major gainers on the Sensex were: DLF, up 3.17 percent at Rs.228.10; Bharti Airtel, up 2.68 percent at Rs.325.85; Jaiprakash Associates, up 2.05 percent at Rs.84.70; and HDFC, up 1.68 percent at Rs.637.15.
Five out of the 30 Sensex scrips ended in the red. Jindal Steel, down 0.31 percent at Rs.660.40; TCS, down 0.28 percent at Rs.1,068.95; ICICI Bank, down 0.27 percent at Rs.1,003.35; HDFC Bank, down 0.13 percent at Rs.2,151.55; and Bajaj Auto, down 0.01 percent at Rs.1,357 were Sensex losers.
Investor sentiment at the Dalal Street was boosted by the rally other Asian markets.
The Japanese Nikkei average jumped 4.36 percent at 9,608.32 points after the country made progress in averting a nuclear meltdown.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng advanced 0.76 percent at 22,857.90 points and China's Shanghai Composite closed 0.34 percent higher at 2,919.14 points.
European markets were mixed. Around mid-day, the French CAC 40 was trading 0.19 percent higher.
However, Britain's FTSE 100 was down 0.13 percent and German DAX was ruling 0.25 percent lower.