Market benchmarks Sensex and Nifty ended marginally higher as monthly derivatives expired on Thursday amid a largely positive trend in global equities.

After gyrating 840 points during the day, the 30-share BSE index finished 32.10 points or 0.06 per cent higher at 49,765.94.

Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty advanced 30.35 points or 0.20 per cent to 14,894.90.

Bajaj Finserv was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rallying nearly 7 per cent, followed by Bajaj Finance, Axis Bank, Reliance Industries and IndusInd Bank.

On the other hand, Bajaj Auto, HDFC, HCL Tech and L&T were among the laggards.

"Domestic equities traded mostly in positive territory amid high volatility on futures and options (F&O) expiry. Notably, benchmark Nifty breached 15,000 levels during initial hours, but it could not sustain to those levels, said Binod Modi, Head Strategy at Reliance Securities.

Metal stocks were in focus on account of sustained price increase in ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Further, Reliance Industries remained in focus for second consecutive day ahead of 4QFY21 results.

Barring metals, financials and pharma, most of the key sectoral indices were in red, he noted.

Elsewhere in Asia, bourses in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo ended on a positive note, while Seoul was in the red.

Bourses in Europe were largely trading with gains in mid-session deals.

Meanwhile, international oil benchmark Brent crude was trading 1.36 per cent higher at USD 67.69 per barrel.