Indian markets ended the session on Thursday with a gain of over 1.6 per cent led by oil & gas, IT, healthcare and TECK stocks amid firm global cues.
Besides, covering up of pending short-positions by participants due to settlement in the derivatives segment supported the uptrend.
The 30-share BSE index Sensex was up 323.83 points (1.75 per cent) at 18,875.95 and the 50-share NSE index Nifty was up 93.65 points (1.68 per cent) at 5,682.35.
On the BSE, oil & gas index was up 3.22 per cent, followed by IT 3.15 per cent, TECk 2.7 per cent and healthcare 2.49 per cent. On the other hand, consumer durables index was down 1.08 per cent and capital goods 0.04 per cent.
Among 30-share Sensex,ONGC, TCS, HDFC Bank, Sun Pharma and RIL were the top five gainers, while Maruti, Tata Motors, NTPC, Coal India and BHEL were the top five losers.
European stocks were little changed, following the benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 Index’s largest two-day rally in 11 months, as investors awaited a report on US personal spending.
Stoxx 50 was down 1.98 points or 0.08 per cent at 2,600.83, FTSE 100 was up 28.57 points or 0.46 per cent at 6,194.05 and DAX was up 14.80 points or 0.19 per cent at 7,955.79.
Asian shares were up as data showing the US GDP grew 1.8 per cent against 2.4 per cent during the same period a year ago raised investors’ hopes that the Fed may remain cautious in scaling back its $85-billion monthly bond-buying programme.
Market sentiment was also supported by assurances by China that it will move in to stabilise the liquidity crisis that has gripped the country's financial markets.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 surged 379.54 points or 2.96 per cent to 13,213.55 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 191.41 points or 0.94 per cent to 20,529.96.