Mumbai, April 25 (UNI) Extending its winning streak for the fifth consecutive day in a row, the BSE Sensex rallied 486.50 points to close high at 74,339.44 on the strength of services, metal, power, and auto stocks amid a strong Asian market.

The National Stock Exchange (NSE) gained 167.95 vpts at 22,570.35.

Today is also the monthly expiry, and the May series begins on Friday. Investors squared off positions ahead of expiry.

In spite of the see-saw trend, the equity market maintained its rally intact as the Sensex opened in red at 73572.34, falling 280 points. It was further weak at 73556.15, sliding 296 points, days low.

In late trade, it erased earlier losses and finished positive at 74,339.44, surging 486.50 points from its previous close.

Meanwhile, it was trading at 74,571.25, days high, advancing 719 pts.

The NSE registered days high and low at 22,625.95 and 22,305.25 pts, respectively.

The stocks that glittered were BSE Services by 1.71 pc, Metal by 1.16 pc, Power by 0.94 pc, and Auto by 0.91 pc.

In 30 scrips, 22 advanced, while 8 declined.

In scrips, Axis Bank was a star gainer, up 5.98 percent to Rs 1127.35, after the company posted a better result than expected.

SBI by 5.10 pc to Rs 812.60, JSW Steel by 2.55 pc to Rs 905.50, Nestle India Ltd by 2.39 pc to Rs 2562.70, and ITC by 2.02 pc to Rs 437.50.

The losers were Kotak Bank dropped more than 10 percent to Rs 1643 after the RBI banned private lenders from taking new clients through online mode and halted the issue of fresh credit cards.

Other losers were Hind Unilever by 1.25 percent to Rs 2237, Titan by 1.05 percent to Rs 3569.60, and Bajaj Finance by 0.46 percent to Rs 7293.90.

The Asian market ended up as China's Shanghai Composition rose 0.30 percent while Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose by 0.5 percent.

UNI NV GNK