Positive macro-data, rupee lift equity markets to new highs

Indian equity markets on Monday closed at record high levels as positive domestic macro-economic data and a strong rupee cheered investors.

Investors' sentiments were buoyed by official data on Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and Consumer Price Index (CPI) released after market hours on Friday which showed that inflation eased in April. The data on annual rate of inflation was calculated on a revised base year of 2011-12.

The key indices provisionally closed with gains of close to half a per cent, as healthy buying was witnessed in metal, banking and healthcare stocks.

The wider 51-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) rose by 44.95 points or 0.48 per cent to provisionally close at 9,445.85 points -- a new closing high.

The barometer 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 30,287.37 points, provisionally closed at a new high of 30,322.12 points -- up 133.97 points or 0.44 per cent from its previous close at 30,188.15 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 30,357.96 points and a low of 30,273.62 points during the intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was bullish, with 1,497 advances and 1,314 declines.

On Friday, the NSE Nifty fell by 21.50 points or 0.23 per cent to close at 9,400.90 points, and the BSE Sensex closed at 30,188.15 points -- down 62.83 points or 0.21 per cent.

--IANS

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