Mumbai: In a strong show of investor optimism, Indian equity markets extended their winning streak for the third straight session on Thursday, with the Sensex surging over 1,000 points intraday, inching closer to its record high of 85,000-mark hit in September 2024. The BSE Sensex soared 1,000.36 points or 1.21% to close at 83,755.87. It briefly touched 83,812.09 during the session, just 700 points shy of its all-time peak. The NSE Nifty also rallied 304.25 points or 1.21% to settle at 25,549, buoyed by gains in heavyweight stocks. Sentiment was lifted by easing geopolitical tensions and renewed interest in blue-chip stocks like HDFC Bank and Reliance Industries. Other top gainers included Tata Steel, Bajaj Finance, Adani Ports, Bharti Airtel, NTPC, and Axis Bank. Despite heavy foreign institutional investor (FII) selling worth Rs 2,427.74 crore, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) stepped in, buying equities worth Rs 2,372.96 crore — helping sustain the rally. Thursday’s surge follows a 700-point Sensex jump on Wednesday and marks the strongest three-day run since March. Market watchers say if momentum continues, a new lifetime high could be on the cards as early as next week. Meanwhile, global cues remained mixed. Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed higher, while Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Seoul ended lower. European markets traded in the green, while US indices posted a muted close overnight. Get Latest News live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Business, Companies and around the world.