Indian stock markets extended their gains on Thursday, with the Sensex climbing around 500 points to trade at 77,500 levels in morning deals. The Nifty also rose over 180 points and crossed the 24,150 mark, riding on strong buying interest in auto and realty sectors.

This positive momentum comes after Wednesday’s solid close, when the Sensex had jumped 791 points to settle at 76,991. Thursday’s trade saw broad-based participation, though auto and realty stocks clearly led the rally.

Market participants were seen accumulating shares in auto companies amid expectations of steady demand and supportive government policies. Realty counters too attracted buyers on hopes of improved sentiment in the housing sector and steady progress on infrastructure projects.

Asian markets showed a mixed trend during early Thursday sessions. South Korea’s Kospi rose 5.33 per cent, Japan’s Nikkei jumped 3.87 per cent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slipped 1.48 per cent.

Overnight, US markets ended on a mixed note. The Dow Jones gained 0.35 per cent, but the Nasdaq declined 0.43 per cent and the S&P 500 closed marginally lower by 0.10 per cent.

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) turned net sellers on Wednesday, offloading shares worth ₹1,843 crore. However, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) remained strong buyers with purchases of ₹3,637 crore. Over the last seven days, FIIs have net bought shares worth ₹2,398 crore, providing overall support to the market.

Analysts said the recovery in domestic indices is being driven by a combination of favourable global cues in some pockets and renewed buying in domestic cyclical sectors. The sharp rebound from recent volatility has helped the benchmarks reclaim important psychological levels.

However, traders remain watchful as global factors, including developments around US-China trade tensions and crude oil prices, continue to influence sentiment. The rupee’s movement and upcoming corporate earnings will also be in focus in the coming sessions.

As of now, the market is holding its gains firmly, with several frontline stocks contributing to the upmove. Broader market participation was visible, though mid and small-cap segments showed selective action.

Further details on individual stock performers and sectoral indices are still coming in as trading progresses. The investigation into any unusual volatility, if required, is not on the table at the moment.

The current upswing has brought some relief to investors after a period of choppy trade. Market watchers will now see whether the momentum sustains or if profit-booking emerges at higher levels.