New Delhi, August 18 (HS): Equity markets opened the week on a bullish note, with benchmark indices surging sharply in early trade on Monday. The BSE Sensex jumped 1,020.88 points, or 1.27%, to trade at 81,618.53, while the NSE Nifty surged 356 points, or 1.45%, to hover around 24,987.30.

Out of the 30 Sensex constituents, 25 stocks were in the green, while only 5 traded lower. Maruti Suzuki led the rally with a solid 7.5% jump, followed by Bajaj Finance gaining nearly 6%. UltraTech Cement, Bajaj Finserv, and M&M each rallied close to 5%.

On the NSE, 45 of the 50 Nifty stocks advanced, propelling all sectoral indices into positive territory, showcasing broad-based buying interest.

The rally comes on the back of Thursday’s positive momentum, ahead of the Independence Day holiday on Friday. The Sensex had then closed 58 points higher at 80,598, while the Nifty had edged up 12 points to 24,631.

With today’s strong start, both indices are set to test new milestones as investor sentiment remains buoyant across sectors.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar