New Delhi:
Sensex advanced nearly 109 points at the start of trading on Friday owing to active buying by investors and foreign funds gathered momentum amid strong global cues.
The 30-share index was trading higher by 108.98 points, or 0.40 per cent, at 26,803.26, with sectoral indices led by IT, consumer durables, realty, capital goods, auto and metal stocks emerging as major gainers, rising by up to 1.31 per cent.
Ending its three-day winning run, the rupee on Friday retreated from nearly a one-month high by falling 22 paise to 67.58 against the US dollar in early trade.
The gauge had rallied 457.41 points in the previous session on Thursday. The NSE Nifty too rose 25.05 points, or 0.30 per cent, at 8,271.90.
Brokers said increased buying by retail investors and foreign funds, spread over a broad front and a firming trend in other Asian markets tracking overnight gains on European and US markets on the back of European Central Bank's move to extend stimulus programme, influenced sentiment here.
Japan's Nikkei was up 1.11 per cent while Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 0.29 per cent in early trade. Shanghai Composite edged up 0.28 per cent.
The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.33 per cent higher in yesterday's on Thursday.
