Mumbai, Feb 4: Across-the-board buying saw indices close higher on Monday. Momentum continued to be positive backed by gains in global markets. Realty shares posted maximum gains followed by IT stocks.

Bombay Stock Exchange's Sensex closed 417.74 points or 2.29 per cent higher at 18,660.32.

National Stock Exchange's Nifty ended 2.95 per cent or 157 points higher at 5,474.10.

Profit booking crept in towards the end of trade but was short lived. Sensex fluctuated 456 points intra-day while Nifty swung in the range of 229 points.

Biggest contributors to the Sensex rally comprised Reliance Communications (up 13.04%), DLF (9.51%), Wipro (6.64%), Tata Consultancy Services (4.93%), NTPC (4.47%) and State Bank of India (4.09%).

Maruti Suzuki (down 1.30%), HDFC Bank (1.03%), Reliance Energy (0.69%) and ITC (0.17%) disappointed.

BSE Midcap and BSE Smallcap indices outperformed the benchmarks closing 3.28 per cent and 2.88 per cent higher respectively.

BSE Realty Index closed 7.17 per cent higher and BSE IT Index gained over 4 per cent at close.

Across BSE, 2259 shares advanced and 544 declined, while on NSE, 1,053 shares gained and 172 fell.