Energy shares boost markets; RIL up 1.5%, GAIL up 4%

Energy shares boost markets; RIL up 1.5%, GAIL up 4%

Benchmark share indices were trading near their day's high in late morning deals after stabilising global crude prices led to buying interest in oil and gas shares.

At 11:35am, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 261 points at 25,852 after hitting an intra-day high of 25,863 and the NIfty50 was up 76 points at 7,862 after touching an intra-day high of 7,865.

Traders will remain cautious in a truncated week. The stock exchanges will be closed for trading on Friday on account of Christmas Day. Further, the winter session of the parliament ends today.

India's current account deficit (CAD) narrowed to $8.2 billion (1.6% of gross domestic product) in the September 2015 quarter from $10.9 billion (2.2% of GDP) in the year-ago quarter.

The Indian rupee gained for the sixth straight session against the US dollar and was up 8 paise at 66.24 compared to its previous close tracking gains in the equity markets.