RIL shares soar 3.78 pct

Extending gains for the fourth day, the BSE benchmark Sensex climbed over 266 points to close at nearly three-week high of 18,886.13 on heavy buying in metal, FMCG, oil & gas shares, amid firm global markets. (AP)

Extending gains for the fourth day, the BSE Sensex on Monday climbed over 266 points to close at nearly three-week high of 18,886.13 on heavy buying in metal, FMCG, oil & gas shares, amid firm global markets.

After rising nearly 652 points in last three days, the BSE Sensex advanced further by 266.41 points, or 1.43 per cent to close at its highest level since 19,367.59 on August 14.

On similar lines, the broad-based NSE Nifty added 78.95 points, or 1.44 per cent, to 5,550.75, after touching day's high of 5,564.90 and a low of 5,478.85. Also, SX40 index, the flagship index of MCX-SX, closed at 11,176.25, up 237.76 points, or 2.17 per cent.

Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd (MCX)

In BSE Sensex, Reliance Industries (RIL) shot up 3.78 per cent to Rs 883.75 and ITC Ltd by 3.75 per cent to Rs 319.40. ICICI Bank, also a Sensex stock, rose 2.89 per cent to Rs 826.90. 23 stocks closed with gains led by Bajaj Auto, Coal India, GAIL, HDFC Ltd, Hindalco Industries Ltd, Hindustan Unilever (HUL),Maruti Suzuki India, Oil & Natural Gas Corp (ONGC),Jindal Steel & Power Ltd, Tata Steel, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), State Bank of India (SBI) and Sun Pharma.

Brokers said easing crude oil prices might help in cooling inflation and trim the current account deficit of the country, which imports 80 per cent of its oil requirements.

A firming trend in the Asian region and higher opening in Europe after China's manufacturing rose to a 16-month high, boosted the domestic market sentiment, they added.