Nifty closes above 25K; Sensex gains 126 points

Stock markets remained on a record-smashing course for the fifth straight day on Thursday, with Sensex and Nifty settled at record-high levels after buying in index heavyweights HDFC Bank and Reliance Industries.

The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 126.21 points or 0.15 per cent to settle at a new lifetime high of 81,867.55.

In the intra-day session, it soared 388.15 points, or 0.47 per cent, to hit an all-time intra-day high of 82,129.49.

The NSE Nifty rose 59.75 points or 0.24 per cent to settle at an all-time closing high of 25,010.90.

Intraday, it scaled the record 25,000 level for the first time, rising 127.15 points, or 0.50 per cent, to 25,078.30.

From the Sensex stocks, Power Grid, NTPC, HDFC Bank, Nestle India, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, Maruti Suzuki India and Reliance Industries were the major gainers.

In contrast, Mahindra and Mahindra, Tata Steel, Bajaj Finserv, State Bank of India, Larsen & Toubro and Tata Motors were the laggards.

Brent crude -- the global oil benchmark -- rose 0.98 per cent to $81.63 per barrel in futures trade.

In Asian markets, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong closed in the negative territory, while Seoul ended in the green.

Foreign institutional investors were net sellers in the capital markets on Wednesday and offloaded shares worth Rs 3,462.36 crore, according to exchange data.