The domestic equity benchmarks traded with modest gains in early trade. The Nifty traded above 22,200 level. Barring realty index all the other sectoral indices on the NSE were traded in green.

At 09:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 317.49 points or 0.44% to 73,306.14. The Nifty 50 index added 92.65 points or 0.42% to 22,216.30.

In the broader market, The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.23% and the S&P BSE Small-Cap index added 0.73%.

The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 2,028 shares rose and 783 shares fell. A total of 106 shares were unchanged.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth Rs 2,170.32 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs), were net buyers to the tune of Rs 1,197.61 crore in the Indian equity market on 27 March, provisional data showed.

Stocks in Spotlight:

Bharat Heavy Electricals (Bhel) advanced 2.33% after the company received an order from Adani Power for setting up the 2x800 MW Raigarh Phase-II Thermal Power Plant at Raigarh, Chhattisgarh. The consideration of order is worth Rs 4,000 crore.

Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories added 1.27% after the company entered into exclusive distribution partnership with Sanofi Healthcare India (SHIPL) to promote and distribute their vaccine brands across private markets in India.

IDFC First Bank declined 2.76%. Cloverdell Investment, an affiliate of Warburg Pincus, is reportedly looking to IDFC First Bank. The company may sell its entire 2.25% stake via block deals and the floor price may be Rs 75 per share, as per reports.

Numbers to Track:

The yield on India's 10-year benchmark federal paper fell 0.45% to 7.040 as compared with previous close 7.072.

In the foreign exchange market, the rupee is edged lower against the dollar. The partially convertible rupee was hovering at 83.3375, compared with its close of 83.3350 during the previous trading session.

MCX Gold futures for 5 April 2024 settlement rose 0.19% to Rs 66,490.

The US Dollar index (DXY), which tracks the greenback's value against a basket of currencies, was shed 0.01 % to 104.34.

The United States 10-year bond yield grew by 0.29% to 4.210.

In the commodities market, Brent crude for May 2024 settlement rose 30 cents or 0.35% to $ 85.71 a barrel.

Global Markets:

Asian stocks traded mixed on Thursday as sentiment remained strained ahead of key U.S. inflation data and addresses by Federal Reserve officials.

Wall Street indexes rose sharply on Wednesday, rebounding after three days of losses as a drop in bond yields help spur strong gains in utility stocks. S&P 500 closed at record high.

Fed Governor Christopher Waller said that there is no hurry to cut interest rate right now. Current inflation reading suggests rates can stay at current level for longer to bring down the inflation sustainably to 2% target rate, Waller reportedly said at Economic Club in New York.

Markets are now awaiting more cues on inflation from PCE price index data- which is the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge. The data is due on Friday, when markets will be closed, but is largely expected to factor into the outlook for U.S. interest rates. Along with the PCE data, addresses from Fed Chair Jerome Powell is also due on Friday.