Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty traded firmly higher during the noon trading session on Thursday, supported by broad-based buying in auto, FMCG, and banking stocks, reflecting positive investor sentiment.

At 12:40 hours, the 30-share benchmark index was trading at 77592.15 up by 600.93 points or by 0.78 % and then NSE Nifty was at 24226.05 up by 204.4 points or by 0.85 %.

Sensex touched intraday high of 77803.18 and intraday low of 77280.49 The NSE Nifty touched intraday high of 24261.6 and intraday low of 24107.8

The top gainers of the BSE Sensex pack were Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. (Rs. 13883.20,+4.76%), InterGlobe Aviation Ltd. (Rs. 5440.45,+4.55%), Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (Rs. 3187.45,+4.01%), Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (Rs. 4260.00,+1.86%), ICICI Bank Ltd. (Rs. 1398.05,+1.75%), among others.

The top losers of the BSE Sensex pack were Titan Company Ltd. (Rs. 4274.10,-1.30%), Tata Steel Ltd. (Rs. 187.95,-1.16%), Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (Rs. 1444.50,-1.15%), Bharti Airtel Ltd. (Rs. 1861.20,-0.84%), Bharat Electronics Ltd. (Rs. 410.80,-0.71%), among others.

Auto index was at 60015.84 up by 1686.31 points or by 2.89%. Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. (Rs. 13883.20,+4.76%), Tata Motors Ltd. (Rs. 430.15,+4.57%), Samvardhana Motherson International Ltd. (Rs. 151.15,+4.57%), UNO Minda Ltd. (Rs. 1148.80,+4.24%), TVS Motor Company Ltd. (Rs. 3580.35,+4.06%),.

Metal index was at 40226.18 down by -395.52 points or by -0.97%. Hindustan Zinc Ltd. (Rs. 522.25,-3.59%), National Aluminium Company Ltd. (Rs. 338.70,-2.73%), Hindalco Industries Ltd. (Rs. 960.15,-1.68%), Jindal Steel Ltd. (Rs. 1073.95,-1.49%), APL Apollo Tubes Ltd. (Rs. 1800.00,-1.37%),.

The Market breadth, indicating the overall strength of the market, was weak. On BSE out of total shares traded 4410 , shares advanced were 1837 while 2334 shares declined and 239 were unchanged.