Benchmarks close the week higher as banks and IT lead a broad-based rally.
- Nifty 50 settled at 25,418, up 0.74%, its best close in three weeks.
- Sensex added 612 points to end at 83,140, with 24 of 30 constituents in the green.
- Bank Nifty outperformed, rising 1.1% on heavy buying in HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank.
- IT index gained 1.4% after a softer US inflation print revived rate-cut hopes.
- HDFC Bank rose 1.9% to a record high; the stock is now up 12% year to date.
- Reliance Industries slipped 0.4% on profit-taking ahead of its retail unit update.