The Sensex and Nifty opened higher today led by banking and oil and gas stocks amid higher Asian markets. While the Sensex rallied 201 points to 37,956 in early trade, the Nifty climbed 61 points to 11,404. Kotak Bank (1.98%), IndusInd Bank  (1.80%) and ICICI Bank (1.42%) were the top Sensex gainers.

Top Sensex losers were Coal India (1.91%), Hindustan Unilever (1.58%) and Bharti Airtel (0.71%).

Of 30 Sensex stocks, 19 were trading in the green.

On Thursday, Sensex Nifty ended flat in choppy session. The Sensex closed 2.72 points higher at 37754.89, while Nifty was up 1.60 points at 11343.30. About 1216 shares advanced, 1468 shares declined, and 148 shares were unchanged.

Meanwhile, the mid cap and small cap indices were trading 93.67 points and 65.10 points higher in early trade today.

Market breadth was positive with 914 stocks trading higher compared to 335 falling on the BSE.

Banking and oil and gas stocks led the gains with their indices rising 385 points and 155 points, respectively. Bank Nifty hit its 52 week high of 29,379. BSE bankex too rose to 32,956 level today, its fresh 52-week high. 

On a net basis, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net of Rs 1482.99 crore on Thursday, and domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net sellers to the tune of Rs 817.77 crore, provisional data available with BSE showed.

31 stocks hit their 52-week highs compared to 30 touching their 52-week low on BSE.  Number of stocks which hit upper and lower circuits were 86 and 80 respectively.