Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty were trading higher on Thursday, buoyed by a rally in Asian markets amid expectations that the US Federal Reserve may cut interest rates next week. Renewed optimism over a positive outcome from India-US trade talks also helped sustain the market’s upward momentum.

At 10:30 hours, the 30-share benchmark index was trading at 81473.61 up by 48.46 points or by 0.06 % and then NSE Nifty was at 24973.3 up by 0.2 points or by 0 %.

Sensex touched intraday high of 81583.88 and intraday low of 81216.91 The NSE Nifty touched intraday high of 25008.95 and intraday low of 24940.15

The top gainers of the BSE Sensex pack were Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone Ltd. (Rs. 1418.30,+2.12%), Eternal Ltd. (Rs. 329.00,+1.46%), NTPC Ltd. (Rs. 329.95,+1.34%), Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. (Rs. 284.95,+0.72%), Tata Steel Ltd. (Rs. 170.55,+0.71%), among others.

The top losers of the BSE Sensex pack were Infosys Ltd. (Rs. 1513.05,-1.28%), Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (Rs. 1507.30,-1.22%), UltraTech Cement Ltd. (Rs. 12403.25,-0.64%), Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. (Rs. 15054.00,-0.46%), Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (Rs. 3590.00,-0.42%), among others.

Oil&Gas index was at 26354.67 up by 421.1 points or by 1.62%. Adani Total Gas Ltd. (Rs. 622.30,+4.10%), GAIL (India) Ltd. (Rs. 178.50,+2.62%), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (Rs. 401.70,+2.30%), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (Rs. 324.50,+2.06%), Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (Rs. 144.00,+2.02%),.

_IT index was at 35326.96 down by -243.26 points or by -0.68%. Quick Heal Technologies Ltd. (Rs. 330.50,-2.39%), AXISCADES Technologies Ltd. (Rs. 1515.20,-2.24%), Netweb Technologies India Ltd. (Rs. 3067.15,-2.07%), Persistent Systems Ltd. (Rs. 5334.50,-1.59%), Ksolves India Ltd. (Rs. 328.05,-1.53%),.

The Market breadth, indicating the overall strength of the market, was weak. On BSE out of total shares traded 3985 , shares advanced were 2388 while 1372 shares declined and 225 were unchanged.