Market Update: BSE Sensex ends at an over two-week high of 26,103

The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Sensex extended gains for the fourth straight session on Thursday soaring by 184 points to reclaim the 26,000-mark after two weeks as inflation dropped to five-month low level and foreign capital inflows rose.

The 30-share Sensex closed at over two-week high of 26,103.23, a gain of 184.28 points, or 0.71 per cent from previous close.

The barometer opened higher at 25,948.30 and shot up further to a high of 26,135.00 after WPI-based inflation dipped to a five-month low of 5.19 per cent in July. In the four sessions, the index gained over 774 points and reclaimed the 26,000-mark for the first time since July 30.

The National Stock Exchange (NSE) 50-share barometer Nifty firmed up by 52.15 points, or 0.67 per cent, to finish at 7,791.70 after touching the day's high of 7,796.70.

Stocks of state-owned ONGC ended 2.03 higher after company yesterday posted 19 per cent rise in net profit for the April-June quarter. Shares of Tata Steel in two-way movements, gained 1.23 per cent despite company's consolidated net profit plunged by 70.38 per cent to Rs 337.33 crore in the April-June quarter.

Brokers said besides encouraging earnings by several blue-chip companies, foreign capital inflows on continued optimism on long term growth prospects of the economy buoyed sentiments.

Major gainers were GAIL India, ITC, Larsen & Toubro, Sesa Sterlite, Cipla, Sun Pharma, Reliance Industries, NTPC, Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra and Mahindra, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, BHEL, Tata Motors and Tata Power.

Shares of Lanco Infratech and Adani Power gained up to 5.05 per cent following a mega deal for a power plant between the two companies. As many as 22 Sensex constituents ended in the green while 8 ended down.

Meanwhile, Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 718.27 crore on Wednesday, as per provisional data from the stock exchange. The stock exchanges will remain closed on Friday on account of 'Independence Day'.