India’s benchmark indices opened higher on Friday, tracking gains across Asian markets, which logged a second consecutive week of advances.

Investor sentiment improved amid signs of a softening US stance on China, boosting risk appetite globally.

Buying was seen in key sectors such as information technology, pharmaceuticals, and automobiles.

As of 9:27 am, the Sensex was trading 265.3 points, or 0.33 percent, higher at 80,066.81. The Nifty rose 89.85 points, or 0.37 percent, to 24,336.55.

Among broader indices, the Nifty Bank was down 222.85 points, or 0.40 percent, at 54,978.55. The Nifty Midcap 100 inched up 10.95 points, or 0.02 percent, to 54,980.80, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 declined 60.20 points, or 0.35 percent, to 16,903.30.

In the Sensex pack, top gainers included TCS, Tata Steel, Maruti Suzuki, Eternal, ICICI Bank, SBI, HDFC Bank, Infosys, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Tata Motors. On the losing side were Axis Bank, Tech Mahindra, Nestle India, and IndusInd Bank.

Overnight, US stocks rallied, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbing 1.23 percent to close at 40,093.40. The S&P 500 gained 2.03 percent to end at 5,484.77, and the Nasdaq surged 2.74 percent to 17,166.04. Analysts said the rally was driven by a rebound in beaten-down technology stocks, lifting the S&P 500 out of correction territory.

Across Asia, markets in Jakarta, Bangkok, Seoul, Hong Kong, China, and Japan were trading in the green.

(With inputs from agencies)