Jammu, Jan. 31 -- Benchmark equity indices climbed nearly 1 per cent on Wednesday on buying in HDFC Bank and Reliance Industries.

Investors are eyeing the two important events lined up ahead - the interim budget and the US Fed interest rate decision - to derive further cues from.

Recovering all the early lost ground, the 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 612.21 points or 0.86 per cent to settle at 71,752.11. During the day, it zoomed 711.49 points or 1 per cent to 71,851.39.

The Nifty climbed 203.60 points or 0.95 per cent to 21,725.70.

Among the Sensex firms, Sun Pharma, Tata Motors, State Bank of India, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti, Bajaj Finserv, Power Grid and UltraTech Cement were the major gainers.

Larsen & Toubro declined over 4 per c...