Market Live Updates, Sensex Today: Sensex, Nifty Surge To Record Highs As Markets Extend Rally

Market Latest Updates: Sensex, Nifty Surge To Record Highs As Markets Extend Rally Amid Broad-Based Gains

Stock Market Updates: Gains across sectors pushed the markets higher

Domestic stock markets continued their record-breaking spree on Wednesday, extending a rally to an eighth session in a row, as optimism around the development of a COVID-19 vaccine pushed global equities higher. The S&P BSE Sensex index jumped397.94 points - or 0.92 per cent - to hit an all-time high of 43,675.59 in early deals, having started the day up 166.41 points at43,444.06. The broader NSE Nifty 50 benchmark climbed to a record high of 12,752.90, up 121.8 points - or 0.96 per cent - from its previous close. Gains across sectors - led by financial, automobile, IT and pharmaceuticals shares - pushed the markets higher.

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At 9:31 am, the Sensex traded 352.16 points - or 0.81 per cent - higher at 43,629.81, while the Nifty was up 113.20 points - or 0.90 per cent - at 12,744.30. (Track Sensex , Nifty Here)
GAIL, Mahindra & Mahindra, Hero MotoCorp, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Bajaj Finance, trading between 2.55 per cent and 4.27 per cent higher, were the top gainers in the Nifty basket of 50 shares.
On the other hand, IndusInd Bank, HUL and Britannia, down1.38 per cent, 1.27 per cent and 1.12 per cent respectively, were the worst hit among seven laggards in the index.
Kotak Mahindra Bank, HDFC, HDFC Bank and Infosys were the biggest contributors to the gain in Sensex.
Progress in the development of a coronavirus vaccine raised hopes for a global economic recovery, helping domestic airline and hotels stocks that have been hammered by the pandemic. (Also Read: No Big Correction Ahead, Say Analysts As Sensex Scales New Peak)
Shares elsewhere in Asia rose as news of a working COVID-19 vaccine seemed to inoculate investors against worry about surging infections in Europe and the US.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was last seen trading 0.40 per cent higher, while Japan's Nikkei 225 benchmark was up 1 per cent.
US-based drug maker Pfizer announced on Monday that its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, developed with German partner BioNTech, showed a 90 per cent success rate in preventing infection during trials.
Investors awaited European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde's comments on the European economic outlook and stimulus prospects in a speech due at 6:30 pm.
The Sensex had risen 1.60 per cent to end at 43,277.65 and the Nifty 1.36 per cent to 12,631.1 - both record closing highs, led by a rally among banking and financial stocks. (Also Read: Sensex Crosses 43,000 For First Time As Markets Rally On Vaccine Cheer)