Nifty crosses 15000-mark

The market continues to make heavy gains post-the Union Budget and closed at new all-time highs on Monday, with the Nifty-50 Index closing above the 15000-mark at 15115.80 with 191 points gain.

The Nifty-50, launched on April 22, 1996, hit the 5000mark in 2007 and 10000mark in 2017.

The Sensex also, for the first time, closed above 51000 with a 617-points gain at 51348.77.

Global cues were also positive with US market closing in the positive territory on Friday, as US treasury secretary Janet Yellen pushed for the Congress to pass $1.9 billion stimulus package, and the Asian markets opening in the green, Japan’s Nikkei Index closed 2.12 per cent and China’s

Shanghai Composite closed 1.03 per cent up.

Investors are taking comfort from the world’s biggest-ever vaccination campaign. More than 124 million doses have been administered across 73 countries so far. While the vaccination programme in countries like India has just begun, countries like Israel have already inoculated more than one-third of their population with at least one of the two doses, according to a report.

"Indian equity markets continued their positive streak for the 6th day post Union Budget, amidst positive global cues,"said Siddhartha Khemka, head -retail research, Motilal Oswal Financial Services.

IT, metal and auto sector stocks were top gainers, driven by heavy foreign portfolio investors buying after a strong earnings season. FPIs were net buyers of equities worth Rs 1,876.60 crore, as per provisional data.