MUMBAI: After eight consecutive sessions when the markets either ended flat or in the red, a benchmark index of Indian equities markets, the 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex), gained over 500 points or nearly two percent in Monday's trading session.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also made healthy gains during the day's trade. It closed 150.90 points or 1.81 percent up at 8,492.30 points.

The Sensex of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 27,655.79 points, closed at 27,975.86 points, up 517.22 points or 1.88 percent from the previous day's close at 27,458.64 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 28,017.97 points and a low of 27,624.76 points in the intra-day trade.

All sector-based indices of the BSE ended the day's trade with substantial gains. Healthy buying was observed in capital goods, banks, automobile, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), healthcare, metal and information technology (IT) sectors.

The S&P BSE capital goods index gained by 476.79 points, bank index rose by 372.09 points, automobile index was higher by 292.72 points, FMCG index climbed 160.77 points, healthcare index augmented by 156.30 points, metal index increased by 144.48 points and IT index was up 113.48 points.

The markets were extremely volatile throughout the week. Friday was the eighth consecutive session when the markets either ended flat or in the red. On Thursday, the markets closed 654 points or 2.33 percent down.