India, April 16 -- Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty surged over 1 per cent on Wednesday as hopes of renewed diplomatic engagement between the US and Iran and crude oil trading below the $100-a-barrel level bolstered investor sentiment.The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 1,263.67 points or 1.64 per cent to settle at 78,111.24. During the day, it zoomed 1,422.85 points or 1.85 per cent to 78,270.42.

The 50-share NSE Nifty climbed 388.65 points or 1.63 per cent to end at 24,231.30.Among the 30-Sensex firms, InterGlobe Aviation, Eternal, Power Grid, Tech Mahindra, Tata Consultancy Services, and Larsen & Toubro were the major gainers.

Bharti Airtel, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank were the laggards. Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was tra...