Equities gain on budgetary sops, strong rupee (Third Lead)

Indian equities markets on Wednesday augmented on the back of positive budgetary announcements and a strong rupee.

The key indices provisionally closed with appreciable gains of more than 1.50 per cent each, as healthy buying was witnessed in automobile, banking and capital goods stocks.

The wider 51-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) surged by 155 points or 1.81 per cent, to 8,716.30 points.

The barometer 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 27,669.08 points, provisionally closed at 28,127.63 points (at 3.30 p.m.) -- up 471.67 points or 1.71 per cent, from the previous close at 27,655.96 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 28,159.54 points and a low of 27,590.10 points during the intra-day trade.

--IANS

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