Sensex closes above the 20,000 mark

Mumbai: A benchmark index of the Indian equities shot up in the last hour of trade to close 159 points higher Friday and above the 20,000-mark, with robust buying in heavyweight scrips like Hindustan Unilever nd Bharti Airtel providing vital support to the index.

The 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,836.43, closed at 20,020.11 points (provisional), 159.1 points or 0.8 per cent higher, from its previous close at 19,861.01 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the 50-share S&P CNX Nifty ended at 6,010.7 points, up 0.86 per cent.

Broader markets also showed saw healthy buys. The BSE midcap ended 1.02 per cent up and the BSE smallcap index 1.03 per cent higher.

Realty, consumer durables and FMCG stocks saw gains. All 13 sectoral indices on the BSE closed in the green.