Stock market today, June 24 -- Indian equity benchmarks traded sharply higher in noon deals on Wednesday, buoyed by easing crude oil prices, encouraging remarks from the RBI Governor on the interest rate outlook and inflation trajectory, and strong buying interest in heavyweight banking and financial stocks. Gains in frontline lenders helped counter concerns about further US Federal Reserve rate hikes and below-normal monsoon rainfall.

The Nifty 50 rose 0.95% at 24,048.85, while the BSE Sensex added 1.27% to 77,165.31, as of 14:12 IST.

However, the broader market remained subdued despite the rally in benchmark indices. The Nifty Smallcap 100 index declined 0.26%, while the Nifty Midcap 100 index slipped 0.01%.

Among sectoral indices, b...