The BSE Sensex rose 227 points, or 0.4%, to 85,909, nearing a record high, while the Nifty 50 climbed to 26,280, hitting a fresh record in Thursday morning trade. The gains tracked a rally on Wall Street overnight, buoyed by bets on a Fed interest rate cut next month. Expectations that the RBI may ease monetary policy at its December meeting further supported sentiment amid easing inflation and a robust growth outlook, with the market expecting GDP to grow 7.3% in the September quarter. Foreign capital inflows and falling oil prices also lifted sentiment, reinforcing expectations of softer inflation as India, the world’s third-largest oil importer, benefits from cheaper crude. The broader market extended gains from the previous session, supported mainly by financial services, technology, and banking stocks. Top performers included Bajaj Finance (2.2%), Bajaj Finserv (1.4%), HDFC Bank (1.2%), Larsen & Toubro (1.0%), and ICICI Bank (1.0%).
