Sensex extends gains for 5th straight day, trading over 26,500 mark

Sensex GainsMumbai: Rising for the fifth consecutive session, the benchmark BSE Sensex today moved up further by 142 points in early trade on sustained foreign capital inflows coupled with a firming trend on other Asian bourses.

The 30-share index, which had gained over 128 points in the previous four sessions, gathered another 142.51 points, or 0.54 percent, to 26,585.32.

All the sectoral indices, led by consumer durables, realty and PSU, were trading in positive zone, rising up to 1.40 percent.

The NSE Nifty also shot up by 39.80 points, or 0.50 percent, to 7,944.55.

Brokers said besides sustained foreign capital inflows and increased buying by retail investors, covering up of short positions by speculators ahead of tomorrow's monthly expiry in the derivatives segment bolstered trading sentiment.

Besides, a firming trend on other Asian markets following another record close on Wall Street fuelled by positive data on the US economy triggered buying activity, they said.

In the Asian region, Japan's Nikkei rose 0.23 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.25 percent in early trade today.

The US Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 0.17 percent higher in yesterday's trade.--PTI