New Delhi, July 5 -- Indian benchmark indices extended their gains for a third consecutive session on Friday, July 3, buoyed by robust buying in IT and pharmaceutical stocks, even as global market cues remained mixed.

The Sensex advanced 262 points, or 0.34%, to end the day at 77,763.91, while the Nifty 50 rose 95 points, or 0.39%, to close at 24,270.85.

The benchmark Nifty 50 enters the upcoming trading week with a positive bias after extending its gains for the third consecutive session and successfully breaking out above the crucial 24,200 resistance zone. The index has shown resilience despite intermittent profit booking and continues to trade above its key moving averages, indicating that the broader trend remains constructive. Imp...