Mumbai, Feb 20: Continuing its rising streak for the third straight session, the BSE benchmark Sensex on Wednesday rose by 42.05 points in early trade on sustained buying by funds and retail investors amid a firm trend in other Asian bourses.
The 30-share index, which had gained 167.57 points in the past two sessions, rose further by 42 points, or 0.21 per cent, to 19677.77 points.
The wide-based Nifty of the National Stock Exchange moved up by 16.25 points, or 0.27 per cent, to NIFTY 5955.95, with all sectoral indices led by refinery, realty, and IT gaining up to 0.88 per cent.
Brokers said continued buying by funds as well as retail investors tracking a firming trend on other Asian bourses, mainly buoyed the trading sentiment here.
Asian shares edged higher today, boosted by rising global equities overnight on an improving global economic scenario, they added.
Among Asian markets, Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose by 0.30 per cent, while Japan's Nikkei by 0.77 per cent in early trade today.
The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.39 per cent higher yesterday.
