Sensex surges 750 pts over economic data, vaccinations

Indian shares closed higher on Monday after the country kicked off an expansion of its Covid-19 vaccine campaign and data showed that the economy returned to growth in the December quarter. The 30-share BSE index briefly traded above the 50,000-mark in day trade before closing at 49,849.84, showing a rise of 749.85 points or 1.53%. Of the Sensex constituents, 29 closed with gains. Likewise, the NSE barometer Nifty settled with a gain of 232.40 points or 1.60% at 14,761.55. Top performers were Powergrid, ONGC, Ultratech Cement, Asian Paint,

Kotak Bank and Titan – rising as much as 5.94%. “Positive global cues and US yields retreating from highs led to a strong opening on Monday with indices sustaining gains throughout the day. The broader markets saw energetic buying momentum across PSU basket and sectors like paints and speciality chemicals,” S Ranganathan, head of research at LKP Securities, said.