JOIN USAfter erasing early losses, the 30-share Sensex ended the day up by 107.83 points at 17,558.85.The wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty rose by 35.10 points to 5,260.40.
Blue-chip stock Bharti Airtel, which is close to signing a deal for acquiring Zain Telecom's African assets for USD 107 7 billion, gained 2.27 per cent on BSE to Rs 313.75 lending support buying sentiment.
Marketmen said investors covered pending positions on the last day of current month settlement expiry in the derivatives sector, helping the key index to close higher.
Trading sentiment turned bullish also after reports came in that food inflation fell to its lowest level in four months at 16.22 per cent for the week ended March 13. In 30 Sensex-linked stocks, 19 closed higher while 11 ended with losses. Major support came in from the stocks of capital goods, healthcare, bank and tec sectors.