Sensex breaches 49,000 mark, IT and auto stocks top gainers

Equity benchmark indices ended at fresh record closing highs on Monday on the back of strong global cues and optimism over corporate earnings domestically. At the closing bell, the BSE S&P Sensex was up by 487 points or 1 per cent at 49,269 while the Nifty 50 edged higher by 138 points or 0.98 per cent to 14,485.Sectoral indices at the National Stock Exchange were mixed with Nifty IT gaining by 3.3 per cent, auto by 2.6 per cent, FMCG by 1.2 per cent and realty by 0.6 per cent. But Nifty PSU slipped by 1.5 per cent and metal by 1 per cent.

Among stocks, Tata Motors made a phenomenal jump of 12.6 per cent to Rs 223.20 per share. Bajaj Auto gained by 2.7 per cent and Maruti Suzuki by 2.6 per cent. IT majors too had a good day with Infosys climbing up by 4.8 per cent at Rs 1,375.95 per share while HCL Technologies gained by 5.9 per cent to Rs 1,053.25, Wipro by 3.9 per cent to Rs 447.05 and Tech Mahindra by 2.4 per cent to Rs 1,076.80.The other which advanced were home loan lender HDFC, energy giant GAIL and pharma major Cipla.

However, metal stocks fell with Tata Steel losing by 2.5 per cent, Hindalco by 1.6 per cent and JSW Steel by 1 per cent. Adani Ports, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, Reliance Industries, Kotak Mahindra Bank and IndusInd Bank too were in the negative terrain.

Meanwhile, Asian shares took a breather as 'trillions' in new US fiscal stimulus plans were set to be unveiled this week, stoking a global reflation trade.South Korea went flat after an early jump while Japan's Nikkei was on holiday after closing at a 30-year high on Friday.