Buying at the fag-end drove the Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex to a six-week high of over 9,400 points on optimism that US stimulus measures will help ease the credit crisis and revive global economic growth.
The Sensex, which remained range-bound in the last two trading sessions, shot up by 457.34 points, or 5.10 per cent, to 9,424.02, a level last seen on February 12. It touched the day's high of 9,454.69 and a low of 9,040.30 points.
Similarly, the 50-share National Stock Exchange index Nifty rose by 132.85 points at 2,939.90, after touching the day's high of 2,949.75 and a low of 2,807.25 points with most of the refinery and banking stocks recording handsome gains.
Among the 30 BSE index stocks, barring DLF Ltd all ended with gains. DLF fell by 2.16 per cent to Rs 167.40 on funds selling.
Reliance Industries Ltd led the rise with a hefty gain of 7.56 per cent to Rs 1,439.80.
Marketmen said shares of oil and gas firms and banks were higher after a fresh plan to clean up the US financial system sparked a rally across Asia.
