Mumbai July 24 (IANS) The key domestic equity indices -- BSE Sensex and the Nifty50 on the National Stock Exchange -- settled at their highest closing levels on Tuesday supported by firm global cues and healthy buying in capital goods metal and consumer durable stocks.
The indices rose for the third consecutive trading day.
Index-wise the wider Nifty50 on the NSE settled at its highest ever closing level of 11 134.30 points higher by 49.55 points and 0.45 per cent from its previous close of 11 084.75 points.
The benchmark BSE Sensex closed at 36 825.10 points -- higher by 106.50 points or 0.29 per cent -- from the previous close of 36 718.60 points. It touched an intra-day low of 36 709.72 points.
Earlier in the day it touched a fresh all-time high of 36 902.06 points.
In the broader markets the S&P BSE mid-cap rose by 1.77 per cent and the S&P BSE small-cap ended 2.21 per cent higher from its previous close.
"The gains came on the back of positive global cues and gains in cement and metal stocks due to encouraging results " said Deepak Jasani Head of Retail Research at HDFC Securities.
Jasani further said major Asian markets have closed on a positive note and European indices like FTSE 100 DAX and CAC 40 traded in the green.
Tradebulls Director and Chief Operating Officer Dhruv Desai said: "Equity benchmark index closed to a fresh record high on Friday on the back of continued capital inflows and positive cues from global stock markets."
On the currency front the rupee closed at 68.95 depreciating by nine paise from the previous close of 68.86 per dollar.
Investment-wise provisional data with exchanges showed that foreign institutional investors bought scrip worth Rs 104.34 crore and the domestic institutional investors purchased stocks worth Rs 513.78 crore.
Sector-wise the S&P BSE capital goods index gained the most by 454 points followed by the metal index up 342.70 points and the consumer durables index rose by 270.76 points.
On the contrary the S&P BSE banking index and the energy index were the losers declining by 38.37 points and 0.30 points respectively.
The major gainers on the Sensex were Larsen and Toubro up 3.36 per cent at Rs 1 322.55; Asian Paints up 2.30 per cent at Rs 1 466.70; Vedanta up 2.17 per cent at Rs 216.15; Adani Ports up 1.94 per cent at Rs 391.50; and Tata Steel up 1.91 per cent at Rs 526.70 per share.
The top losers were Hero MotoCorp down 1.97 per cent at Rs 3 101.45; Kotak Mahindra Bank down 1.71 per cent at Rs 1 313.35; Bajaj Auto down 1.42 per cent at Rs 2 650.80; Hindustan Unilever down 1.10 per cent at Rs 1 668; and Wipro down 0.98 per cent at Rs 273.35 per share.

--IANS rrb/qd/bg