Sensex Jumps 676 pts, Nifty Rises 1% as GST Reform Bid Sparks Rally

As many as 2,560 stocks advanced while 1,629 declined and 176 remained unchanged on BSE

- OUR CORRESPONDENT

MUMBAI: Stock markets rose sharply on Monday, with Sensex closing higher by 676 points and Nifty climbing 1 per cent on heavy buying in auto and consumer durables stocks, buoyed by plans for big bang reforms in the GST regime by Diwali.

The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 676.09 points or 0.84 per cent to settle at 81,273.75. During the day, it zoomed by 1,168.11 points or 1.44 per cent to 81,765.77.

The 50-share NSE Nifty climbed 245.65 points or 1 per cent to end at 24,876.95. Intraday, it surged 390.7 points or 1.58 per cent to 25,022.