Gains across sectors - led by consumer goods and pharmaceutical shares - supported the markets
Domestic stock markets started the last session of the week on a positive note tracking gains in Asian equities. The S&P BSE Sensex index rose as much as 0.74 per cent - or 266.51 points - to in the first few minutes of trade, having begun the day at 36,110.21. The broader NSE Nifty 50 benchmark gained to as high as 10,628.55 soon after opening stronger at 10,614.95 compared to its previous close of 10,551.70. Gains across sectors - led by consumer goods and pharmaceutical shares - supported the markets.
At 9:23 am, the Sensex traded 197.46 points - or 0.55 per cent - higher at 36,041.16, while the Nifty was up 58.60 points - or 0.56 per cent - at 10,610.30.
Shares in other Asian markets moved higher following a positive Wall Street session overnight amid strong US jobs data, although growing US-China tensions and a worrying surge in coronavirus cases capped the gains in check.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia Pacific shares outside Japan was last seen trading 0.43 per cent higher, while Japan's Nikkei 225 benchmark was up 0.34 per cent.
China's Shanghai Composite, Hong Kong's Hang Seng and South Korea's KOSPI indices were up 1.21 per cent, 0.60 per cent and 0.53 per cent respectively.
The E-MIni S&P 500 futures were up 0.11 per cent at the time, indicating a sluggish start for US markets on Friday.
On Thursday, the Sensex had ended 429.25 points - or 1.21 per cent - higher at 35,843.70, and the Nifty settled at 10,551.70, up 121.65 points - or 1.17 per cent - from its previous close.
