Mumbai, February 03: Shrugging off spike in food inflation and high interest rate worries, the BSE benchmark Sensex Thursday surged by over 358 points to close at 18,449.31 on aggressive value buying in the recently beaten stocks and indications of a steady global economic recovery.
The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex, which had gained 68 points in the previous session, spurted by 358.69 points to 18,449.31, even as the food inflation soared to over 17 percent for the week ended January 22 from 15.57 percent in the previous week.
The Sensex upsurge was mostly supported by most beaten stocks of metal, realty, capital goods and banking, following nearly 11 percent fall in the market this year, which had touched a five-month low.
The broad-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty shot up by 94.75 points to 5,526.75 led by Hindalco, Reliance Industries, Larsen and Toubro and State Bank of India.
US manufacturing data showed unexpected acceleration in January, the fastest pace in more than six years, signaling that global recovery might be taking a strong hold.
European manufacturing too gained at the quickest pace in nine months, while UK production increased at a record pace in January.
Hindalco, the biggest aluminium producer, gained for the fourth day as manufacturing improved from China to the US, boosting the demand outlook. The stock gained 4.62 percent to Rs 245.70 as copper advanced to records in London and New York, while aluminium gained by 0.4 percent.
Foreign funds shifted focus to Indian stocks as most of the Asian markets were closed on account of Lunar New Year holidays.
The two heaviest-weighted on the Sensex – Reliance Industries and Infosys gained on buying at attractive low levels and favourable reports.
RIL gained 2.40 percent to Rs 943.50 following a steep rise in crude oil prices and Infosys rose by 0.98 percent to Rs 3,115.85 on expectations of better earnings on expectation of a steady global economic recovery. US and Europe account for substantial share of the revenues for Indian IT firms.
The realty sector index gained the most by rising 3.93 percent to 2,276 followed by capital goods index by 2.51 percent to 13,390.47. The metal index rose by 2.19 percent to 16,477.32 and banking index by 2.04 percent to 12,111.66.
With the buying activity spilling over a wide-front, smallcap index rose by 1.21 percent to 8,464 and midcap index by 1.09 percent to 6,827.87.
-PTI