Benchmark equity indices ended higher on Tuesday helped by buying in banking and financial counters, mainly HDFC twins, amid a mixed trend in the global markets.

The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 446.03 points or 0.71 per cent to settle at 63,416.03 points. During the day, it advanced 497.54 points or 0.79 per cent to 63,467.54 points.

NSE Nifty climbed 126.20 points or 0.68 per cent to end at 18,817.40 points.

From the Sensex pack, State Bank of India, HDFC, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, Bharti Airtel, Kotak Mahindra Bank, ICICI Bank, Tata Motors, NTPC and Bajaj Finserv were the major gainers.

The merger of housing finance major HDFC with the country's largest private lender HDFC Bank will be effective from July 1, HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh said on Tuesday.

Maruti, ITC and Hindustan Unilever were the laggards.

In Asian markets, Shanghai and Hong Kong settled in the green while Seoul and Tokyo ended lower.

Equity markets in Europe were trading on a mixed note. The US markets ended in the negative terrain on Monday.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude declined 1.12 per cent to USD 73.35 a barrel.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 409.43 crore on Monday, according to exchange data.

In a lacklustre trading on Monday, the BSE benchmark dipped 9.37 points or 0.01 per cent to settle at 62,970 points, logging its third straight session of decline. The Nifty had edged up 25.70 points or 0.14 per cent to settle at 18,691.20 points.

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