The NSE index ended 1 per cent higher on Friday, touching its highest intra-day level in over three weeks, on hopes that the US Federal Reserve's decision overnight to hold rates would widen the door further for the Reserve Bank of India to cut rates.

The 30-share BSE index gained 0.98 per cent at 26,218.91 after rising as much as 1.96 per cent to 26,471.82 during the session.

The broader NSE index ended up 1.05 per cent after gaining as much as 1.97 per cent to 8055, its highest level since August 28. The Nifty closed at 7,981.90, up 82.75 points. Bank shares were in the limelight.

For the week, the BSE index has risen 2.38 per cent while the NSE index has gained 2.47 per cent.

The top gainers on the BSE Sensex were Axis Bank (up 5.14 per cent), ONGC (3.84 per cent), Lupin (2.93 per cent), Reliance (2.34 per cent) and Sun Pharma (2.33 per cent). The laggards were ITC, Hindalco, Bajaj Auto, and Tata Motors.

At the close realty share were the top gainers on the Sensex with the sectoral index trading at 2.66 per cent, followed by the banking index (up 3.16 per cent), healthcare (1.19 per cent), oil and gas (0.93 per cent), and power (0.89 per cent).

Asian shares were firm but their gains were capped on global economic concerns after the Federal Reserve held off raising rates on Thursday.

European shares slipped in early session as the Federal Reserve's downbeat comments on the global economy overshadowed its decision to hold rates steady.

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