Sensex closes 200 points higher on stronger rupee

Supported by firm global cues and a stronger rupee, a benchmark index for Indian equities market closed nearly 200 points up Monday. Robust buying was seen in banking, power and consumer durables stocks. The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 16,289.82 points closed at 16,416.84 points, up 1.23 per cent or 199.02 points from its previous close of 16,217.82 points. The Sensex touched a high of 16,439.97 points and a low of 16,273.49 in intra-day trade. The BSE midcap index declined 71.26 points while the smallcap index declined 55.13 points. The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange closed 1.33 per cent higher at 4985.65 points. Robust buying was seen in banking, power, consumer durables and capital goods stocks. The banking index was up 2.42 per cent or 263.74 points, power index was up 2.33 per cent or 41.54, consumer durables index was up 2.20 per cent or 138.85 points and capital goods index was up 1.85 points or 164.07 points. Stocks of State Bank of India (SBI) closed up 4.76 per cent at Rs2,100.35 while those of BHEL closed up 4.17 per cent at Rs2,17.10. Shares of Tata Power were 3.81 per cent up at Rs92.55 and those of Hindalco 2.82 per cent up at Rs114.95.