MARKET LIVE: Sensex holds gains, up 300 pts; metals, financials lead

Domestic equity indices hit scaled fresh lifetime highs on Tuesday as positive news from Moderna Inc, that its Covid-19 vaccine has 94.5 per cent efficacy rate, boosted investor sentimet. Indices surpassed their previous highs touched on November 14 during the special one-hour Muhurat Trading.

Among frontline indices, the S&P BSE Sensex hit a new record high of 44,161 levels in the opening deals, surpassing previous high of 43,830.93 level. It was, however, later trading around 43,938 levels, up 300 points or 0.7 per cent.

Tata Steel (up over 6 per cent), State Bank of India (up 3 per cent), L&T and HDFC Bank (up 2 per cent each), and IndusInd Bank (up 1.5 per cent) were the top gainers on the 30-share index. 

The broader Nifty50, meanwhile, hit new high of 12,934, but later retreated to 12,882 levels, up 100 points. The index surpassed previous lifetime high of 12,828.7.

Among key sectoral indices on the NSE, Nifty IT index slipped 0.4 per cent in early deals. On the contrary, Nifty Metal index added 2 per cent to trade as the top gainer. 

In the broader market, the S&P BSE MidCap index and the S&P BSE SmallCap indices were at 16,015 levels and 15,801 levels, respectively, up 0.2 per cent each.