By IANS
Mumbai : With technology stocks opening firm, Indian indices rose to a record high for a sixth successive day Monday, closing above the 15,000 mark for the first time in its history.
The benchmark 30-share sensitive index of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) breached the 15,000 mark in early trade and rose to a lifetime high of 15,085.22 levels during trade to close at 15,045.73, up 0.55 percent or 81.61 points from its weekend closing of 14,946.12 points.
The Sensex had for the first time breached the magic mark Friday, rising to 15,007.22 but closing at 14,964.12.
As many as 20 Sensex components traded in green.
The broader 50-issue National Stock Exchange (NSE) index, Nifty, was also 0.79 percent or 34.55 points to close at its all time high of 4,419.40 after hitting a lifetime high of 4,427.55 during trade.
"The overall scenario of the market looks positive. Through here is a possibility of a correction, the market looks good," said Goldman Sachs analyst Neelesh Banerjee.
Leading the change at the Sensex Monday was private sector energy producer Reliance Energy, up 2.94 percent at Rs.615.50. Following was top engineering and construction firm Larsen & Toubro, up 2.17 percent at Rs.2,415.80, and leading private sector telecom service provider Bharti Airtel, up 1.98 percent at RS. 883.55.
Technical and banking stocks maintained their positive run to help the Sensex breach the magic level on two successive sessions.
State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp., top software exporter Tata Consultancy Service, top lender State Bank of India, second largest private sector lender HDFC Bank heavy electrical equipment maker BHEL, thermal energy producer NTPC and second largest software exporter Wipro were the other major stocks that traded in the green.
Fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) maker Hindustan Unilever, led the top losers of the day, down 2.30 percent at Rs.195.35, losing Rs.4.60 on its last trade.
The largest private sector lender ICICI Bank was down 1.13 percent at Rs.970.45, and multi-utility vehicle maker Mahindra & Mahindra was down 1.02 percent at Rs.779.30.
Drug maker Cipla, textile producer Grasim Industries, car maker Maruti Udyog, top two-wheeler and three-wheeler maker Bajaj Auto and pharma firm Ranbaxy Laboratories were the other major index stocks that traded in the red.
India's most valuable company, Reliance Industries, also took a beating in the intra-day trading, down 0.03 percent at Rs.1,711.00.