Mumbai, April 16 -- The headline equity indices traded with modest gains in morning trade, buoyed by easing crude oil prices and positive global cues. Nifty traded above the 24,250 mark. Metal shares Metal shares extended gains for the second consecutive trading session.

At 10:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, jumped 272.50 points or 0.35% to 78,383.74. The Nifty 50 index rose 63.80 points or 0.26% to 24,292.50.

In the broader market, the BSE 150 MidCap Index gained 0.28% and the BSE 250 SmallCap Index added 0.51%.

The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 2,462 shares rose and 1,384 shares fell. A total of 191 shares were unchanged.

The NSE's India VIX, a gauge of the market's expectation of volatility over the near t...