Stock market news: Benchmark indices, S&P BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty 50 closed Wednesday, February 14, 2024, on a positive note despite dampened global sentiments following US inflation data that exceeded economists' forecasts. Sensex closed 277.98 points higher at 71,833.17 and Nifty 50 closed 96.8 points higher at 21,840.05. However, the early trade today witnessed a lack of investor enthusiasm as the indices fell as much as 1.55 per cent from their respective day highs.

Nifty Microcap 250 leads the broad market indices with a gain of 1.67 per cent followed by Nifty Smallcap 100 and Nifty Smallcap 50 which rose 1.61 per cent and 1.36 per cent respectively. Coming to sectoral indices, Nifty Oil & Gas, which rose 3.1 per cent led the gains, followed by Nifty Media and Nifty Metal, which rose 2.51 per cent and 1.77 per cent respectively.

"Domestic markets staged a recovery, buoyed by renewed buying interest in banking stocks," said Vinod Nair, head of research at Geojit Financial Services, adding that improving asset quality and government's focus on fiscal prudence made state-owned banks attractive.

Sensex top gainers

• SBIN: 4.24 per cent
• Tata Steel: 2.36 per cent
• Axis Bank: 2.32 per cent
• Maruti Suzuki: 2.04 per cent
• NTPC: 1.97 per cent
• PowerGridCorp: 1.65 per cent

Sensex top losers

• Tech Mahindra: -2.78 per cent
• Sun Pharma: -1.26 per cent
• TCS: -1.16 per cent
• Infosys: -1.03 per cent
• HDFC Bank: -0.72 per cent

Nifty top gainers

• BPCL: 7.30 per cent
• SBIN: 4.14 per cent
• ONGC: 3.72 per cent
• Coal India: 3.33 per cent
• Tata Steel: 2.61 per cent
• Bajaj Auto: 2.56 per cent

Nifty top losers

• Tech Mahindra: -2.81 per cent
• Cipla: -2.35 per cent
• Dr Reddy: -1.30 per cent
• TCS: -1.05 per cent
• Infosys: -1.5 per cent
• SBI Life: -0.98 per cent