NEW DELHI: Equity indices finished higher for the third straight session on Wednesday with benchmark BSE sensex rising over 350 points led by gains in IT, financial and pharma stocks.
The 30-share BSE index surged 355 points or 0.88 per cent to close at 40,616; while the broader NSE Nifty settled 95 points or 0.80 per cent to finish at 11,908.
IndusInd Bank, Sun Pharma, Reliance, Infosys, Kotak Bank and Tech Mahindra were the top gainers in the sensex pack rising up to 4.85 per cent.
While HDFC, Power Grid, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank and NTPC were the top losers falling up to 2.02 per cent.
On the NSE platform, sub-indices Nifty Pharma, IT and Auto gained as much as 2018 per cent.
Drugmaker Sun Pharmaceutical Industries gained nearly 4 per cent after reporting upbeat quarterly profit, thereby boosting the Nifty pharma index.
Globally, share markets were whipsawed, while bonds and the dollar rose, as the US elections proved far closer than polls had predicted.
Investors most feared a contested election outcome, Ajay Bodke, chief executive at Prabhudas Lilladher, a portfolio management service company told news agency Reuters
"The next 24 hours are crucial and markets are waiting to see if Trump will follow through on his threat of legal action if there is a contested election," he added.
On the currency front, rupee depreciated 35 paise to close at 74.76 (provisional) against the US dollar, tracking strong American currency ahead of the US Presidential election results.
Meanwhile, foreign institutional investors remained net buyers in the capital market as they purchased shares worth Rs 2,274.40 crore on Tuesday, according to provisional exchange data.
(With agency inputs)