MUMBAI: Extending gains for the fifth consecutive week, the key Indian equity indices closed the first week of the New Year at fresh highs, riding on positive global cues, along with inflow of foreign funds and healthy domestic macro-data.

Although the benchmark indices started off the week on a slightly weak note, the barometer 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) closed trade at a fresh level of 34,153.85 points on the last trading day (January 5).

It rose by 97.02 points or 0.28 per cent from its previous week’s close at 34,056.83 points.

The Sensex also touched a new intra-day high of 34,188.85 points.

On the same day, the wider Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) scaled a record intra-day high of 10,566.10 points.

The index closed trade at a fresh high of 10,558.85 points, up 28.15 points or 0.26 per cent from its previous week’s close at 10,530.70 points.

“The week gone by saw the Nifty surging higher. It was the fifth consecutive week of gains for the Nifty,” Deepak Jasani, Head - Retail Research, HDFC Securities, told IANS.

“Sectorally, the top gainers were the metal, infra, media and pharma indices. The top losers were the auto, IT and PSU bank indices,” he added.

On the currency front, the rupee strengthened by 50 paise to close at 63.37 against the US dollar from its last week’s close at 63.87.

Indo-Asian News Service