BSE Sensex hits 20,000

The BSE Sensex has hit a new peak by crossing the 20,000 mark for the first time in history. It took six sessions to reach 20,000 from 19,000. Despite the market regulator's restrictions on investments through Participatory Notes, stock prices have been moving up quite sharply over the past few sessions.

Larsen & Toubro, HDFC, BHEL, ONGC, HDFC Bank, State Bank of India, Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank and Reliance Energy are the major beneficiaries. Shares of Reliance Communications, Maruti Suzuki, Wipro, Tata Motors, Grasim Industries, Satyam Computer Services, ITC, Bharti Airtel, Hindustan Unilever, Infosys Technologies, Bajaj Auto, Mahindra & Mahindra and ACC are also up.