Sensex closes over 280 points higher, Nifty above 10,200, ICICI Bank top loser

At close, the BSE Sensex was at 33,255.36, 286.68 points or 0.87% higher, while the broader NSE Nifty 50 closed above the 10,200 mark, up 98.10 points or 0.97%.

business Updated: Apr 02, 2018 16:00 IST
The 30-share BSE Sensex had lost 205.71 points in the last session of FY18 on Wednesday.
The 30-share BSE Sensex had lost 205.71 points in the last session of FY18 on Wednesday.(Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg)

The benchmark BSE Sensex soared by over 280 points on the first trading day of the new financial year 2018-19 on Monday, amid positive global cues and healthy buying activity in pharma and auto stocks.

At close, the BSE Sensex was at 33,255.36, 286.68 points or 0.87% higher, while the broader NSE Nifty 50 closed above the 10,200 mark, up 98.10 points or 0.97%, at 10,211.80.

Sectorally, gains on the BSE were led by healthcare, industrials, auto, capital goods and basic materials. A firm set of March auto sales numbers posted by automakers led the BSE index higher by 2.14%.

Auto stocks such as Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki, M&M and Bajaj Auto rose up to3.47%

Other gainers included Kotak Bank, Adani Ports, Sun Pharma, Dr Reddy’s, and Wipro, with Kotak Bank gaining 4.65%.

In contrast, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Bharti Airtel, Coal India and SBI settled the day in the negative zone.

Brokers said beginning of new financial year and April F&O series, amid positive Asian cues, boosted investor sentiment.

In the Asian region, Japan’s Nikkei rose 0.50%, while Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.20% in early trade. Markets in Hong Kong are shut on Monday.