Mumbai, July 1 -- Indian equity benchmarks, Nifty and Sensex, extended their gains on Wednesday, with the Nifty 50 closing above the key 24,000 mark and both benchmark indices rising more than 0.5 per cent, supported by optimism over a potential India-US trade agreement, easing tensions in the Middle East and softer crude oil prices.

The Nifty 50 settled at 24,005.85, up 140.10 points or 0.59 per cent, while the BSE Sensex gained 443.97 points or 0.58 per cent to close at 76,922.64.

According to market experts, improving global and domestic sentiment helped support investor confidence.

Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Investments, said, "The domestic markets entered H2CY26 on an optimistic footing as multiple headwinds began to a...