Sensex spurts by 600 points, financial and auto stocks gain

Equity benchmark indices witnessed smart gains on Tuesday led by a jump in financial, private bank and auto stocks while Asian stock markets rose to a two-week high.

The bounce on bourses came after US President Donald Trump was discharged from hospital following treatment for Covid-19 and prospects for a fresh US stimulus package appeared to brighten.

The BSE SandP Sensex closed 601 points or 1.54 per cent higher at 39,575 while the Nifty 50 gained by 159 points or 1.38 per cent at 11,662.

Sectoral indices at the National Stock Exchange were mixed with Nifty financial service moving up by 3.1 per cent, private bank by 2.3 per cent and auto by 1.2 per cent.

One of his doctors though cautioned that he may not be out of the woods yet.

Japan's Nikkei added 0.52 per cent while Hong Kong's Hang Seng moved up by 0.9 per cent and South Korea's Kospi advanced by 0.34 per cent.