Benchmark indices settle at fresh lifetime highs

Mumbai: Equity benchmarks settled at record highs on Friday, rallying for the fourth day running, helped by intense buying in index majors Reliance Industries, Wipro and Maruti.

In a largely range-bound trade, the 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 20.96 points or 0.03 per cent to settle at 62,293.64, its fresh record closing high.

During the day, it jumped 175.05 points or 0.28 per cent to 62,447.73 — its lifetime intra-day peak.

Likewise, broader NSE Nifty went up by 28.65 points or 0.15 per cent to end at 18,512.75, its all-time high.

Reliance Industries emerged as the biggest gainer among the Sensex firms, rising 1.34 per cent, followed by Wipro, Tech Mahindra, Axis Bank, IndusInd Bank, Maruti, Tata Steel and Mahindra & Mahindra were among the major winners.

On the other hand, Nestle, Kotak Mahindra Bank, ICICI Bank and HCL Technologies were the major laggards.

Elsewhere in Asia, markets in Seoul, Tokyo and Hong Kong ended lower, while Shanghai settled in the green.

Equity exchanges in Europe were trading mostly lower in the afternoon trade. Wall Street was closed for a holiday on Thursday.

International oil benchmark Brent crude was trading 1.21 per cent higher at USD 86.37 per barrel.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) turned net buyers as they bought shares worth Rs 1,231.98 crore on Thursday, as per exchange data.