Sensex ends higher by 218 points

The BSE barometer commenced the day higher and recorded the longest nine-week gain since June last year. The index advanced 1.2 per cent this week.

Brokers said expectations of good fourth quarter result by India Inc and heavy foreign fund inflows boosted thebourses. The market is entering the period of quarterly earnings with IT major Infosys kickstarting the reporting season on Tuesday.

Most Asian stocks ended higher after overnight gains on Wall Street which also influenced the trading sentiment,they added.

The wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty rose by 57.30 points to 5,361.75 points.

Among the 30-index stocks,22 ended with gains. Major support was lent by Infosys,Reliance Industries,HDFC,ICICI Bank,Sterlite Industries and Tata Motors.

Index heavyweight Reliance Industries ended higher by 1.78 per cent.

Tata motors rose by 4.51 per cent followed by HDFC by 4.41 per cent,BHEL by 2.79 per cent,Jai parakash Associate by 2.57 per cent,HDFC Bank by 2.56 per cent,Sterlite by 2.19 per cent and Hero Honda by 2.02 per cent.

The key benchmark indices in China,Taiwan,Hong Kong and Singapore rose between 0.30 per cent and 1.56 per cent while South Korea index eased by 0.54 per cent.