Stock indices gain for 9th session

Mumbai: Indian shares staged a smart recovery in the second half of Thursday's trading session to end little changed as global markets cheered softening US inflation data that indicated the US Federal Reserve may well be nearing the end of the current rate-hardening cycle.

Gains were muted on concerns that a recession is on the horizon as highlighted in the minutes of the March Federal Open Market Committee meeting.

The Sensex ended at 60,431, up 38.23 points or 0.06% from Wednesday's close. The Nifty gained 15.60 points or 0.09% to close at 17,828. India's banks, stock and money markets will remain closed on Friday for Ambedkar Jayanti.

On Thursday, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) featured net buyers for the ninth straight session. Overseas funds net purchased shares in the cash segment worth ₹221.85 crore while domestic institutions were net sellers to the tune of ₹273.68 crore, according to provisional stock exchange data.