Snapping its six-session falling streak, equity benchmark BSE Sensex ended 51.81 points higher on 26 July, led by select finance and private bank stocks.
After a choppy session, the 30-share Sensex ended 51.81 points or 0.14% higher at 37,882.79. Swinging 289 points, it hit an intra-day low of 37,690.47 and a high of 37,978.07.
Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty rose 32.15 points or 0.29% to settle at 11,284.30. During the day, the index hit a low of 11,210.05 and a high of 11,307.60.
Yes Bank was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rallying 9.64%. Bajaj Finance soared 7.20% after the company posted its highest-ever quarterly consolidated net profit at ₹1,195 crore for the June quarter.
Other gainers included Hero MotoCorp, M&M, Bajaj Auto, Tata Motors, Asian Paints and Kotak Bank, rising up to 3.21%.
Vedanta, RIL, Bharti Airtel, ONGC, HDFC, Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech and Infosys were among the top losers, falling up to 4.26%.
While subdued corporate earnings, foreign fund outflows and weak global cues weighed on investor sentiment, hopes of above-average rainfall in the next two weeks capped the losses, traders said.
Elsewhere in Asia, most bourses ended on a negative note. Hang Seng, Nikkei and Kospi ended in the red, while Shanghai Composite Index settled in the green. Bourses in Europe were also trading in the positive terrain in their early sessions.
On the currency front, the Indian rupee appreciated 7 paise to 68.97 against the U.S. Dollar (intra-day).
Meanwhile, the global oil benchmark Brent crude futures rose 0.50% to $63.71 per barrel.