Stock markets end with gains despite volatile trade

Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty closed with gains in highly choppy trade on Wednesday following buying towards the end of the session in select oil, banking and auto shares as investors awaited key US inflation data for further cues.

The 30-share BSE Sensex rose by 178.87 points or 0.29 per cent to settle at 61,940.20 as 22 of its components advanced and eight declined. During the day, it hit a high of 61,974.35 and a low of 61,572.93.

The broader NSE Nifty gained 49.15 points or 0.27 per cent to end at 18,315.10, posting gains for a third day in a row. Global markets largely traded in negative as investors turned cautious ahead of the US inflation data for April which would provide some indication about the Federal Reserve's next course of action on the rate front.

Among the Sensex firms, IndusInd Bank rose the most by 2.84 per cent. Power Grid, Tata Motors, Bajaj Finance, NTPC, HDFC Bank, Reliance Industries, Nestle and Kotak Mahindra Bank were the major gainers. Infosys fell the most by 0.59 per cent. State Bank of India, Tata Steel, Hindustan Unilever and Titan were among the laggards.

"The domestic market traded near the flatline, oscillating between gains and losses as investors refrained from taking a firm direction due to the uncertainties surrounding the US market," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services.