Stock market touches fresh record high

Equity indices finished at fresh record highs on December 8, propelled by market heavyweight Reliance Industries and IT stocks, as investors remained in buying mode amid unabated foreign fund inflows.

Rising for the fourth straight session, the BSE Sensex climbed 181.54 points or 0.40 per cent to finish at its fresh lifetime high of 45,608.51. The Nifty rose for the sixth consecutive day, up 37.20 points or 0.28 per cent to 13,392.95 — its new closing record.

UltraTech Cement was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rising 3.15 per cent, followed by TCS, Reliance Industries, HCL Tech, Infosys, SBI and Kotak Bank.

RIL jumped 1.82 per cent after its chairman Mukesh Ambani said the company will roll out 5G telecom services in the second half of 2021.

Sun Pharma, IndusInd Bank, NTPC, Tech Mahindra, ONGC and Asian Paints were among the laggards, shedding up to 2.36 per cent.

BSE energy, IT, teck, realty, finance and bankex indices rose up to 1.14 per cent, while telecom, power, utilities, healthcare, metal and industrials indices closed with losses.

Broader BSE midcap and smallcap indices slipped up to 0.29 per cent.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude futures slipped 0.35 per cent to $48.62 a barrel.

The rupee surged by 30 paise to settle at 73.60 against the US dollar, buoyed by foreign fund inflows.