Mumbai: Rising for the third straight session, benchmark Sensex finished over 205 points higher at 33,455.79 today on persistent buying by domestic institutional investors amid positive global cues. The broader NSE Nifty too closed above the 10,300-mark. Optimistic buying in blue-chip stocks ahead of the release of industrial production and retail inflation data later this week drove stocks higher.   

Participants are also betting on a favourable result for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Gujarat assembly polls, which added to the buying momentum, brokers said. The Sensex opened strong at 33,317.72 and touched a high of 33,535.97, but settled at 33,455.79 due to profit-booking, still showing a gain of 205.49 points or 0.62 percent.   

This is its highest closing since November 29, when it had closed at 33,602.76. The gauge had risen by 653.12 points in the previous two sessions. The 50-share NSE Nifty ended 56.60 points, or 0.55 percent, higher at 10,322.25 after shuttling between 10,329.20 and 10,282.05. PTI