HCL Tech was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, surging around 3 per cent, followed by L&T, M&M, Tech Mahindra, Maruti, TCS, Asian Paints, Infosys and HDFC Bank.
On the domestic equity market front, the BSE benchmark Sensex was trading 160.58 points higher at 39,888.99, and the broader NSE Nifty rose 45.75 points to 11,726.10.
"Rising number of COVID-19 cases is prompting worries about a new wave of lockdowns in Europe and hopes from US stimulus spending are fading", Reliance Securities said in a research note.
