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| Photo Credit: PAUL NORONHA

Benchmark equity indices were on fire on Friday, February 2, 2024, with the Nifty hitting its all-time high level, tracking a rally in global markets along with buying in Reliance Industries, Infosys and ICICI Bank.

A day after the presentation of interim budget, the Nifty jumped 429.35 points to reach its lifetime peak of 22,126.80. The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 1,444.1 points to 73,089.40. It is 338.19 points away from its lifetime peak of 73,427.59.

Among the Sensex firms, Power Grid, NTPC, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Tech Mahindra, Wipro and Reliance Industries were the major gainers during the afternoon trade.

HDFC Bank, Hindustan Unilever, Axis Bank and Titan were the laggards.

In Asian markets, Seoul and Tokyo were trading in the positive territory while Shanghai and Hong Kong quoted in the red.

The US markets ended with significant gains on Thursday.

“The bull market at Dalal Street is thriving, fuelled by positive developments such as Wall Street’s surge, a 3 per cent drop in WTI oil prices, and the promising interim Union Budget,” said Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP (Research), Mehta Equities Ltd.

The Sensex declined 106.81 points or 0.15 per cent to settle at 71,645.30 on the Budget day on Thursday. The Nifty dipped 28.25 points or 0.13 per cent to 21,697.45.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude climbed 0.42 per cent to USD 79.03 a barrel.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 1,879.58 crore on Thursday, according to exchange data.