Markets Keep the Momentum Going to Close Firm in Green

With a positive opening this morning, the bourses kept up the momentum, and traded firm through the day, shrugging off Asian power-house Nikkei's near-2% drop in value today, and a weak opening at the European markets. At close, both the benchmark indices clocked in robust gains; the Nifty gained 66 points at 5,480, while the Sensex ended off the day's high at 18,206 up 218 points. In the process, the BSE benchmark logged a total gain of 367 points over the past two trading days. The Sensex, which dipped briefly soon after its opening to its intra-day low of 17,950, recouped its losses soon after, and was seen trading in a positive belt ever since. Near to its close, the BSE benchmark touched its intra-day high of 18,218, and wound-up the day by consolidating its day's gains. The Consumer Durables index ended as the laggard on the sectoral chart, flat at 5,809. With 1,650 advancing stocks versus 1,194 declining stocks, the market breadth remained fairly positive.