Sensex, Nifty scale new peaks on earnings, monsoon optimism

Indian benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty Tuesday scaled new life-time closing highs as investors remained in an intense buying mode for fourth session in a row on "near-normal" monsoon forecast and bumper corporate earnings optimism.

The BSE gauge Sensex started off on a bullish note at 39,040.30 and hit a new intra-day record of 39,364.34. It, however, finally settled at 39,275.64, 369.80 points or 0.95 per cent higher, also marking its life-time closing high. The index has added 690.29 points in the last four sessions.

Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty opened higher at 11,736.20 and breached the psychological 11,800-level (intra-day) for the first time ever. The NSE barometer settled the day at a new record closing level of 11,787.15, up 96.80 points or 0.83 per cent.

Financial stocks took charge of the rally driven by sustained foreign fund inflows.

Sensex heavyweight ICICI Bank rose 3.58 per cent. In percentage terms, however, IndusInd Bank was the top gainer with 3.96 per .