Buy or sell stocks, April 20 -- The Indian stock market witnessed widespread buying momentum on Friday, April 17, helping the benchmark indices - Sensex and Nifty 50 - extend their rally for a second consecutive week.

The Sensex rose by 505 points, or 0.65%, to end at 78,493.54, while the Nifty 50 gained 157 points, also up 0.65%, to close at 24,353.55. Mid- and small-cap stocks, meanwhile, delivered stronger performance compared to the broader market.

The Nifty index began the session on a slightly weak note, opening about 32 points lower at 24,165.9. It initially declined further to register an intraday low of 24,096.05. However, the index later witnessed strong buying momentum, leading to a steady upward rally that pushed it close to...