The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark index, Sensex, on Thursday gained 35 points in range-bound trading, amid food inflation falling to single digit and mixed trends in Asia.
The 30-share Sensex, which dropped by 120 points in the previous session, gained 34.63 points to end the day at 17,992.00 points
Marketmen said investors rolled over their positions in derivative segment from July to August series, enthused by reports of easing food prices.
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Food inflation was 9.67 per cent for the week ended July 17 from over 12 per cent in the previous week.
Broad-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty also rose by 11.35 points to 5,408.90.
Major gainers in the index stocks were HDFC Ltd, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Hero Honda and Tata Motors.
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Trendsetter Reliance Industries fell further by Rs 10.50 to Rs 1,010.45. It had tumbled 3.1 per cent in the previous session.
A mixed trend in Asia and higher opening in Europe this afternoon with the London exchange FTSE-100 rising 0.26 per cent also influenced the market sentiment, brokers said.
Steady inflow of higher quarter earnings by leading companies such as HCL Technologies also supported the market. HCL Technologies, a software maker, rose to the highest in a month after its fourth-quarter net income climbed 23 per cent.