Positive global cues, firm rupee and higher crude oil prices buoy equity markets

Mumbai: Positive global cues, along with higher crude oil prices and firm rupee buoyed the Indian equity markets for the sixth consecutive session on Monday.

The key indices traded with appreciable gains to reach their new 2016 intra-day high levels, as healthy buying was witnessed in capital goods, oil and gas, and metal stocks.

The wider 51-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) edged up by 42.35 points or 0.51 per cent to 8,370.70 points.

Similarly, the barometer 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 27,314.44 points, provisionally closed at 27,278.76 points (at 3.30 p.m.) -- up 133.85 points or 0.49 per cent from the previous close at 27,144.91 points.

It touched a high of 27,385.66 points and a low of 27,251.06 points during the intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was skewed in favour of the bulls -- with 1,713 advances and 1,018 declines.

The benchmark indices on last Friday had made new 2016 closing-high levels. The NSE Nifty edged up by 40.60 points or 0.49 per cent, whereas the barometer gained 145.19 points, or 0.54 per cent.