FINAL TRADE: Equity barometers end higher for sixth consecutive day, Nifty ends above 24,800

Indian equities after a positive start on the weekly expiry day ended higher for the sixth day in a row on Thursday. At the close, Sensex ended higher by 0.18 per cent or 147.89 points at 81,053.19, while Nifty ended 0.17 per cent or 41.3 points higher at 24,811.5. Also, the high beta Nifty Bank index ended higher by 0.6 per cent. Meanwhile, after hitting fresh record high, the BSE Smallcap index in today's trade ended 0.47 per cent higher.

Sectorally, IT, pharma and oil & gas stocks witnessed mild selling pressure, while metal, FMCG and PSU banking stocks led the gains.

Zomato shares after acquiring Paytm's ticketing business ended mildly negative at Rs 257.8. Most brokerages hold a bullish view on the stock.

Nucleus Software shares ended sharply lower by over 6 per cent at Rs 1,422.75 apiece on the BSE as the company's board approved a buyback worth Rs 72 crore.

Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services on markets performance said, "The domestic market witnessed modest gains owing to the positive global sentiments. Particularly, the recent signs of weakness in the US non-farm payroll data have strengthened the case for potential interest rate cuts in September."

However, in the broader market, investors are being cautious, opting for a selective approach, awaiting more clarity from central bank leaders in Japan and the US, he added.

European markets, meanwhile, traded higher as the markets digested a slew of economic data from major European countries, while awaiting the the start of the Federal Reserve's Jackson Hole conference later in the day.