The markets closed for the week in the green with the Sensex gaining 77 points at 17761 and the Nifty gained 16 points to close at 5,359.
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(Updated at 11:16)
Markets started the special trading session on a flat note with a positive bias on account of the muted cues from the global markets. The Sensex started up 37 points at 17,721 and the Nifty opened up seven points at 5,350.
In the broader markets, the midcap and the smallcap indices started off in line with the Sensex, up 0.2% each.
Overnight, U.S. stocks seesawed as investors weighed the chances for more quantitative easing from the Fed, which would pump money into the economy to try to boost growth. The Dow Jones industrial average ended up 14.64 points, or 0.11%, to 13,306.64. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index closed up 5.80 points, or 0.40%, to 1,437.92. The Nasdaq Composite Index gained 0.61 points, or 0.02%, to 3,136.42.
Apart from Capital Goods and Power indices, all the sectoral indices on the BSE started in the green. Metal, Auto and Health Care indices were the top gainers adding 0.5% each. Meanwhile, Capital Goods and Power indices lost 0.1% each,
Cipla Limited strted off 2% higher at Rs 389 and was the top Sensex gainer on reports that the pharmaceutical company won a patent case against Swiss drug maker in the Delhi High Court on Friday. Sterlite, Wipro,Tata Motors, Tata Power, Maruti Suzuki, Jindal Steel, Hindustan Unilever and Hindalco up 0.5-1% were the other notable gainers.
Among the opening losers were BHEL, Gail India, Bharti Airtel, TCS and NTPC down 0.2-1%
Among others, Godrej Industries opened higher by 1% at Rs 260 after the company said it has divested its 43% stake in Godrej Hershey to the Hershey Company.
The market breadth was positive. 843 stocks advanced while 483 stocks declined on the BSE.