Sensex, Nifty extend gains for sixth straight day, focus on inflation data

At close, the BSE Sensex climbed 160.69 points or 0.47% to end at 34,101.13, while the wider NSE Nifty 50 settled the day 41.50 points or 0.4% higher.

Benchmark equity indices ended higher for a sixth straight session on Thursday, ahead of key retail inflation data later in the day, as a weakening rupee and expectations of positive quarterly results boosted information technology stocks.

The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) logo is displayed in front of a bronze bull statue at the Bombay Stock Exchange in Mumbai. (Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg)

The broader NSE Nifty ended 0.4% higher at 10,458.65, while the benchmark BSE Sensex closed 0.47% higher at 34,101.13.

Infosys Ltd led the gains, closing 3.5% higher. The software services exporter will kick-start the January-March corporate results season on Friday.

Investors await March retail inflation data due later on Thursday for cues about the economy. Retail inflation likely eased to a five-month low in March as increases in food prices slowed once again but remained above the central bank’s medium-term target, a Reuters poll found.