Sensex closes 366 points up; bank, auto stocks rise

After three consecutive days of decline, a benchmark index of Indian equities markets closed Thursday's trade up 366 points or more than one and a half percent.

All sector-based indices of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) ended with healthy gains.

The rally was led by banking, auto, healthcare, capital goods, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and metal stocks.

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the S&P BSE, which opened at 27,178.77 points, closed at 27,274.71 points (provisional), up 365.89 points or 1.36 percent from the previous day's close at 26,908.82 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 27,316.41 points and a low of 27,101.94 points in the intra-day trade.

The S&P bankex gained 434.63 points, auto index went up by 294.40 points, healthcare index surged by 169.97 points, capital goods index moved up by 156.89 points, FMCG index rose by 149.34 points and metal index got augmented by 135.42 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also closed the trade with healthy gains. It was up 132.50 points or 1.64 percent up at 8,234.60 points.