Closing Bell: Market ends higher on positive post-budget sentiments, Nifty Bank leads the gain

Continuing the bull run, Indian equity indices closed higher for the third day in a row.

Nifty PSU Bank index ended up 3.41% at 3066.10 today. Metals, IT, pharma, and FMCG stocks advanced while autos and oil & gas stocks declined. The government's focus on boosting manufacturing as well as an underlined emphasis on areas such as startups, modern mobility, and clean energy, boosted investors' sentiment. 

The BSE Sensex closed on a higher note at 59,558.33 soaring by 1.18 per cent. Similarly, the BSE MidCap also gained 268 points to a level of 25,146 points i.e. by 1.08 per cent. The BSE SmallCap index also jetted up by 454 points and closed at 29,950 levels up by 1.54 per cent. The BSE Finance and Bankex sector were the foremost sectors gaining more than 2 per cent each. 

The top gainers on the BSE Sensex exchange were HDFC Bank, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, Kotak Mahindra, and HCL Technologies. On the flip side, the top loser on the BSE Sensex exchange was Tech Mahindra, UltraTech Cement, Nestle India, Larsen & Toubro, Maruti Suzuki. The total stocks traded today were 3,547 out of which 2,299 advanced and 1,062 stocks declined. There were only 96 stocks that were unchanged. 

The number of stocks that were locked in the upper circuit is 446 and the number of stocks that were locked in the lower circuit today was 247. Stocks that made a 52-week high is 169 and 12 stocks made a 52-week low today.