Sensex and Nifty dart up to fresh all-time highs

The Sensex and the Nifty darted up to fresh all-time highs on Thursday as investors lapped up power, IT and banking stocks amid mixed global cues.

A strengthening rupee, which surged 19 paise against the dollar, further lifted sentiment, traders said.

The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 318.05 points, or 0.58 per cent, to close at its fresh record of 54843.98. Intra-day, it scaled an all-time high of 54874.10. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty advanced 82.15 points, or 0.26 per cent, to its lifetime peak of 16325.15.

PowerGrid was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, followed by Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech, Titan, L&T, NTPC and ICICI Bank.