Indian markets ended the session on a firm note on fresh buying by funds and retail investors amid positive global cues.
The BSE Sensex ended at 24,374.40, up 76.38 points or 0.31 per cent and the NSE Nifty ended at 7,276.40, up 23.50 points or 0.32 per cent.
Barring TECk and IT, all other BSE sectoral indices ended in the green. Among them, consumer durables and realty indices were the star-performers and were up 6.78 per cent and 5.54 per cent, respectively, followed by power 2.2 per cent and metal 1.8 per cent. On the other hand, TECk index was down 0.47 per cent and IT 0.31 per cent.
NTPC, Coal India, Maruti, SSLT and Tata Power were the top five Sensex gainers, while the top five losers were Hindalco, BHEL, Bharti Airtel, HDFC and Wipro.
Jewellery stocks were back in demand after the Reserve Bank had yesterday eased the gold import norms by allowing select trading houses, in addition to already permitted banks, to procure the precious metal to boost exports.
European stocks rose as minutes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting showed policy makers expect the inflation rate to remain below their target, and as Chinese manufacturing data beat estimates. Asian shares also ended higher.
The minutes of the meeting also showed Fed staff discussed measures to raising the short-term interest rates, but that it was not a sign that the rate hikes would come any time soon.