NEW DELHI: Equity benchmarks closed on a higher note on Thursday, underpinned by gains in pharma, bank, FMCG and auto stocks, ahead of the release of key economic data -- industrial production (IIP) for August and consumer inflation for September -- expected later in the day.

The Nifty50 index closed 112 points up at 10,096, while Sensex settled 348 points up at 32,182 on Thursday.

In the Nifty50 index, Hindalco Industries touched fresh all-time high. The scrip closed 6 per cent up at Rs 264.50 today.

Bharti Infratel, Reliance Industries, Sun Pharma, Vedanta, Aurobindo Pharma, Hindustan Unilever and Adani Ports stood as the top gainers on Thursday.

However, Bharti Airtel settled as the top loser, declining 1 per cent. It was followed by UltraTech Cement, Indian Oil Corporation, UPL, State Bank of India, Power Grid Corporation and Infosys.

Barring Nifty PSU Bank, all sectoral indices settled in the green on NSE. Poor show of Bank of India, Oriental Bank of Commerce, State Bank of India and Canara Bank weighed on the Nifty PSU Bank index.

Realty, private bank, pharma, metal, FMCG, auto and bank indices gained over 1 per cent on NSE in today's trade.

Jindal Steel, Hindalco and Nalco gained over 5 per cent in the metal index. APL Apollo Tubes, Coal India and NMDC were the three metal stocks that settled in the red today.

Overall 61 stocks, including Hindalco Industries, Birla Corporation, Britannia Industries, Dabur India, Bharti Infratel, Majesco, JSW Energy, Man Industries (India), Nestle India and TVS Motor Company hit their fresh 52-week highs today.

However, Bhagyanagar Properties, JMT Auto, Neueon Towers, Reliance Communications, TV Vision and Vimal Oil & Foods were among those 27 stocks that hit new 52-week lows on NSE.