Mumbai:Extending its gains for the fifth straight session, market benchmark BSE Sensex ended 77 points higher at 40,129 on Thursday on the back of a rally in IT and banking stocks.
After touching a fresh lifetime high of 40,392.22 (intra-day), the 30-share index settled 77.18 points or 0.19 per cent, higher at 40,129.05.
The broader NSE Nifty too advanced 33.35 points, or 0.28 per cent, to close at 11,877.45.
Yes Bank was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, soaring 24.03 per cent after the lender said it had received a binding offer for USD 1.2 billion (approximately Rs 8,500 crore) funding from an overseas investor.
SBI, Infosys, Tata Motors, Bharti Airtel, HCL Tech and HDFC too rallied up to 7.69 per cent.
On the other hand, Tech Mahindra, Axis Bank, Tata Steel, M&M and ICICI Bank fell up to 2.09 per cent.
According to Gaurav Dua, Senior VP, Head - Capital Market Strategy and Investments, Sharekhan by BNP Paribas, Sensex hit its record intra-day high on the back of positive factors including decent Q2 results, boost to consumer demand in the festive season and policy push by the government to support the economy.
A massive spike foreign fund inflows and hopes that the government will rejig taxes on equity investors too boosted investor sentiment, traders said.