Benchmark equity indices ended sharply higher on Thursday, extending gains in late afternoon trade as buying intensified across metals, infrastructure, auto and energy stocks while volatility eased significantly. 

The BSE Sensex rose 899.71 points, or 1.14%, to settle at 80,015.90, while the Nifty 50 advanced 285.40 points, or 1.17%, to close at 24,765.90, snapping a three-day losing streak. 

Earlier in the session, the rally gathered pace with the Sensex climbing over 1,000 points to 80,159 and the Nifty touching 24,824 as gains broadened across sectors. 

Market breadth remained firmly positive, with 2,377 stocks advancing against 1,480 declines on the exchanges. 

Metals, infra stocks lead gains 

Among index heavyweights, Hindalco Industries emerged as the top gainer on the Nifty, while shares of Larsen & Toubro surged more than 4.5%. 

Other major gainers included Bharat Electronics, Coal India, and Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, each rising over 4%. Shares of Reliance Industries advanced more than 3.5%, while Shriram Finance, InterGlobe Aviation, and NTPC also contributed to the rally. 

Sectorally, the Nifty Metal index led gains, rising about 2.3%, followed by the Nifty Infrastructure index, which climbed over 2%. The Nifty Oil & Gas and Nifty Construction indices were also among the top performers. 

The Nifty IT was the only sector to close in the red, slipping about 0.6%. 

Broader markets outperform 

Broader markets outperformed the benchmarks, with the Nifty Midcap 100 and the Nifty Smallcap 100 gaining 1.52% and 1.58%, respectively. 

Investor sentiment strengthened as the India VIX dropped nearly 15%, indicating easing market volatility and renewed risk appetite among investors. 

According to Bajaj Broking Market, Indian equities ended on a strong note amid reports suggesting a possible easing of tensions in the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Iran. While benchmarks pared some of their intraday gains toward the close, they still finished with strong advances. 

Market outlook 

Analysts said the Nifty formed a bullish candlestick pattern, signaling a pullback from oversold levels following the recent sharp decline. The index has rebounded over the past two sessions after testing its August 2025 low near 24,337. 

Going ahead, the index is expected to consolidate in the 24,300–25,200 range in the near term. Holding above the recent panic low near 24,300 could extend the rebound toward the 25,100–25,200 zone in the coming sessions. 

The Bank Nifty is also expected to trade in a volatile range of 58,000–60,000 in the near term. A decisive breakout or breakdown from this range could determine the next directional move, with analysts cautioning that a fall below 58,000 could trigger further downside toward 57,200 if geopolitical tensions escalate. 

Asian markets ended mostly higher, with South Korea’s Kospi rebounding sharply by 9.63%. Japan’s Nikkei 225, China’s Shanghai SSE Composite, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index also closed in positive territory. 

European markets were trading higher, while US equities ended Wednesday’s session in the green. 

According to exchange data, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold equities worth ₹8,752.65 crore on Wednesday while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) purchased shares worth ₹12,068.17 crore. 

In the previous session, the Sensex had plunged 1,122.66 points, or 1.40%, to close at 79,116.19, marking its fourth consecutive day of losses. The Nifty dropped 385.20 points, or 1.55%, to settle at 24,480.50, extending its losing streak to three sessions.