New Delhi, Aug. 5 -- On Monday, the Indian stock market registered a relief rally on broad-based buying. The Nifty 50 index went up 157 points and closed at 24,722, the BSE Sensex surged 418 points and finished at 81,018, while the Bank Nifty index ended marginally higher at 55,619. Hero Motocorp, Tata Steel and Adani Ports led the charge among the Nifty's top performers. Conversely, it was a particularly tough session for Power Grid Corporation of India, HDFC Bank, and ONGC, which ended as the major losers within the Nifty pack. Trading volumes on the NSE cash market were lower by 12% compared to Friday, the lowest since 07 July.

The widespread buying interest across sectors clearly showed the market's improved sentiment. Barring Nifty ...