Sensex rises over 600 points; Nifty above 9,000

NEW DELHI: Domestic equity markets started on a higher note on Tuesday with the benchmark BSE sensex rising over 600 points amid positive cues from the global markets.
The 30-share BSE index was trading 633 points or 2.11 per cent higher at 30,662; while the broader NSE Nifty rose 186 points or 2.11 per cent higher at 9,009.
Bharti Airtel was the top gainer in the sensex pack with its shares rising as much as 9.37 per cent, followed by ONGC, Tata Steel, Kotak Bank, ICICI Bank and Maruti rising up to 7.54 per cent.
While TCS, SBI, IndusInd Bank, Axis Bank and Asian Paints were the only losers, falling up to 0.90 per cent.
On NSE, sub-indices Nifty Auto, Private Bank and Financial Services gained as much as 2.58 per cent.
According to traders, hopes of a vaccine for COVID-19 enthused global investor sentiment.
In a significant development, an American biotechnology company Moderna has said its initial vaccine tests in people have shown promising results and can stimulate an immune response against the coronavirus.
However, the rising number of cases in the country kept market participants cautious, they said.
In the previous session, sensex closed 1,068.75 points or 3.44 per cent lower at 30,028.98, while the broader NSE Nifty plunged 313.60 points or 3.43 per cent to 8,823.25.
Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investors offloaded equities worth Rs 2,512.82 crore in the capital market on Monday, provisional exchange data showed.
The number of COVID-19 cases in India crossed the 1 lakh-mark, while the death toll rose to over 3,000, according to the health ministry.
(With PTI inputs)