Sensex gains more than half percent, bank stocks rise

A day after it gained more than 265 points, a benchmark index of the Indian equity markets was trading more than half a percent up during the afternoon trade session on Thursday.

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) was trading with gains of more than 152 points or 0.50 percent during the session under review.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also made gains during the afternoon trade session. It was trading with gains of 49.15 points or 0.58 percent at 8,572.95 points.

The S&P BSE Sensex, which opened at 28,259.70 points, was trading at 28,350.70 points (at 12.30 p.m.), up 152.41 points or 0.54 percent from the previous day's close at 28,198.29 points.

The Sensex so far touched a high of 28,374.44 points and a low of 28,245.81 points in the intra-day trade.

Sector-wise, all of the 12 sector-based indices of the S&P BSE were trading higher.

The S&P BSE bank index zoomed by 248.44 points, healthcare index augmented by 115.24 points, the oil and gas index jumped by 111.66 points, consumer durables index was higher by 74.73 points, and the automobile index rose by 55.34 points.