Mumbai, Jul 12 (IANS): The BSE Sensex settled at the highest ever closing level on Thursday at 36,548.41 points after touching an intra-day record high of 36,699.53 points.

Tracking broadly positive global cues, the wider Nifty50 on the National Stock Exchange also rose to end over the 11,000-mark.

Globally, the Asian markets traded in the green after reports on Wednesday said China and the US may resume talks to ease the ongoing trade tensions.

At 3.30 p.m., the Nifty50 provisionally closed at 11,023.20 points -- higher by 74.90 points or 0.68 per cent -- from its previous close of 10,948.30 points.

The barometer 30-scrip Sensex, which had opened at 36,424.23 points, closed higher by 282.48 points or 0.78 per cent at 36,548.41 points (3.30 p.m.). The previous close on Sensex was 36,265.93 points.

As mentioned, it touched an all-time high of 36,699.53 points during the intra-day trade and a low of 36,422.08 points. The BSE market breadth, however, was bearish with 1,472 declines against 1,169 advances.

The top gainers so far on the Sensex were Reliance Industries, Wipro, HDFC, Larsen and Toubro (L&T) and Hindustan Unilever whereas Vedanta, Infosys, Tata Motors (DVR), Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) and Bajaj Auto were the losers.

On the NSE, Reliance Industries, BPCL and Bajaj Finance were the highest gainers while UPL, Vedanta and Bajaj Auto lost the most.