Sensex, Nifty gain over 1%; auto, durables stocks surge

Key Indian equity indices on Thursday surged to provisionally close with appreciable gains led by robust buying in auto, consumer durables and capital goods stocks.

The barometer 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE provisionally closed gaining over 300 points, while the wider Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) closed firmly above the 10,100 level.

According to market observers, healthy buying in index heavyweights like Bharti Airtel, Maruti Suzuki, Bajaj-Auto and Asian Paints lifted the benchmark indices.

On the NSE market breadth, the Nifty50 provisionally closed (at 3.30 p.m.) higher by 122.60 points or 1.22 per cent at 10,166.70 points.

The BSE Sensex closed at 32,949.21 points -- up 352.03 points or 1.08 per cent -- from its previous close.

The Sensex touched a high of 32,992.45 points and a low of 32,598.12 during the intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was bullish -- 1,851 advances and 828 declines.

On Wednesday, the key indices were dragged lower by interest-rate sensitive stocks like banking, metals and capital goods.

The NSE Nifty50 fell by 74.15 points or 0.73 per cent to close at 10,044.10 points, while the Sensex at 32,597.18 points -- down 205.26 points or 0.63 per cent.