At 12:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, rallied 741.66 points or 0.97% to 77,928.40. The Nifty 50 index advanced 214.70 points or 0.92% to 23,575.75.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.78% and the S&P BSE Small-Cap index added 0.57%.

The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 2,317 shares rose and 1,428 shares fell. A total of 164 shares were unchanged.

Derivatives:

The NSE's India VIX, a gauge of the market's expectation of volatility over the near term, rallied 3.53% to 14.86. The Nifty 27 February 2025 futures were trading at 23,644.75, at a premium of 69 points as compared with the spot at 23,575.75.

The Nifty option chain for the 29 February 2024 expiry showed maximum Call OI of 54 lakh contracts at the 24,000 strike price. Maximum put OI of 61.8 lakh contracts were seen at 23,000 strike price.

Buzzing Index:

The Nifty Metal index gained 1.58% to 8,283.60. The index fell 2.91% in past two consecutive trading sessions.

Vedanta (up 3.52%), Jindal Stainless (up 3.03%), Steel Authority of India (up 2.74%), National Aluminium Company (up 2.53%), Hindustan Copper (up 2.45%), NMDC (up 2.22%), Hindalco Industries (up 2.17%), Ratnamani Metals & Tubes (up 1.81%), Welspun Corp (up 1.52%) and Adani Enterprises (up 1.05%) advanced.

Stocks in Spotlight:

Shalby slipped 4.17% after the company reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 1.81 crore for Q3 FY25, compared to a net profit of Rs 19.07 crore posted in Q3 FY24. However, revenue from operations jumped 27.6% YoY to Rs 275.63 crore in the quarter ended 31 December 2024.

NLC India rallied 9.92% after the company's consolidated net profit surged 166.79% to Rs 668.09 crore on 39.41% rise in revenue from operations to Rs 4,411.41 crore in Q3 FY25 over Q3 FY24.