Over 750 scrips at 52-week high as Sensex at new peak

As the Sensex continued with its record-breaking show, over 750 stocks hit one-year high levels on the Bombay Stock Exchange on Friday.

A total of 759 scrips touched their 52-week high on the SE, including Axis Bank, BPCL, DLF, HPCL, NMDC, NTPC, Reliance Power, SAIL, Strides Arcolab, Tata Power, Tata Steel, Uco Bank, Unitech and Voltas.

"On the back of firm global cues, markets were seen making buoyant start today and upheld that bias till the end," said Jayant Manglik, President-retail distribution, Religare Securities.

"There was broad-based buying witnessed in the markets and apart from blue chips, broader markets too participated in the rally. Sustained buying activities by funds and retail investors have kept markets near life time high levels," he added.

Besides, reports of monsoon rains reaching the coast of Kerala today - marking the start of the wet season which is crucial for their summer crops - further strengthened investor sentiment, Manglik said.

All the indicators are in favour of sustainable rise to continue but with intermediate corrective moves, he said.

The Sensex logged a new all-time intra-day high of 25,419.14 and settled for the day at a new closing high of 25,396.46, up 376.95 points or 1.51 per cent.

It surpassed the previous all-time high of 25,375.63 registered on May 16 and its previous record close of 25,019.51 hit on June 5.

In the broader market, 2,143 scrips advanced, while 972 stocks declined and 79 remained unchanged.

Nine of the twelve of the sectoral indices ended in the green. Realty, oil&gas and banking shares led the surge.

Among the 30-Sensex constituents, 24 ended the day with gains led by ONGC and Gail.