All-round buying mainly in Auto,Fast Moving Consumer Goods,Realty and Banking sectors in view of positive announcement in the Union Budget pushed up both the BSE benchmark Sensex and Nifty by 4.44 per cent during the first week of Budget. The decision to formally introduce the constitutional amendment for GST,no increase in excise duty,allowing foreign investors to directly invest in Mutual Funds,rise in investment limit for foreign funds in corporate bonds,bringing down fiscal deficit boosted sentiments. The industry welcomed the Budget terming it as "positive" and 'growth-oriented'. The BSE benchmark Sensex recorded its highest point-wise gain after 21 months,surging over 623 points on March 1st across-the-board buying. The BSE benchmark Sensex shot up by 785.54 points,or 4.44 per cent,to end the week at 18,486.45 from its last weekend's level. There were no major negative factors in the Union Budget announced by the Finance Minister and no rise in excise duty,40K crore disinvestment in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) in the next fiscal year,supported the market sentiments.
