Stock market highlights: Sensex, Nifty rally to close firm; Sensex settles nearly 600 points higher at 81,973

Sensex, Nifty, Share Prices: The Indian stock markets closed higher on Monday, buoyed by strong performances in the IT and banking sectors. The benchmark BSE Sensex surged 591.69 points or 0.73 per cent to close at 81,973.05, while the broader NSE Nifty 50 index climbed 163.70 points or 0.66 per cent to end at 25,127.95.

The market rally was led by IT majors and banking stocks, with Wipro emerging as the top gainer on the NSE, surging 4.24 per cent. Other notable gainers included Tech Mahindra (2.88 per cent), HDFC Life (2.40 per cent), HDFC Bank (2.30 per cent), and L&T (2.02 per cent). On the flip side, ONGC was the biggest loser, dropping 2.05 per cent, followed by Maruti (-1.77 per cent), Tata Steel (-1.48 per cent), Bajaj Finance (-1.26 per cent), and Adani Enterprises (-1.22 per cent).

The market breadth remained positive, with 2,066 stocks advancing and 1,975 declining on the BSE. A total of 249 stocks hit their 52-week highs, while 26 touched their 52-week lows. The market also saw 431 stocks hitting their upper circuit limits and 220 stocks hitting their lower circuit limits.