Sensex up 218 points in early trade

Extending gains for the ninth day in a row, the BSE benchmark Sensex rose by over 218 points in early trade on Monday on sustained buying by funds and retail investors ahead of RBI policy amid a firm trend in Asia.

The 30-share barometer, which has gained over 1,153 points in the previous eight sessions, shot up further by 218.37 points, or 1.18%, to 18.682.64 with capital goods, banking and realty sectors leading the gain.

Similarly, the wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty moved up by 58.65 points, or 1.05%, to 5,636.30.

Brokers said sustained buying by funds and retailers amid a firming trend in Asian region mainly influenced the trading sentiment.

The Reserve Bank of India is scheduled to announce its mid-quarter review of monetary policy later on Monday.

In Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index gained 0.62% in early trade today, while Japan's Nikkei was closed for a public holiday.

The US Dow Jones Industrial Average had ended 0.40% higher in the previous session on Friday's trade.