The key benchmark indices extended their gains to hit fresh 52-week highs in the morning deals today. Buying interest was seen in oil & gas, realty and power stocks. The Sensex was up 168 points at 17,512 levels and the Nifty rose 0.9 per cent to 5,216.

Among the Sensex stocks, NTPC and JP Associates were the top gainers. The stocks jumped over 2.7 per cent.

M&M, RIL and L&T were the other main gainers in the group.

In US, stocks ended little changed as welcome news on manufacturing helped offset a drop in commodities prices.

The market drew support on Wednesday from a key economic indicator that signaled growth in Midwest manufacturing for a third straight month.

The Dow Jones industrial average ticked up 3.10, or less than 0.1 percent, to 10,548.51.

The S&P 500 index edged up 0.22, or less than 0.1 percent, to 1,126.42, while the Nasdaq composite index rose 2.88, or 0.1 percent, to 2,291.28.

Asian markets were trading mostly higher today. Hong Kongs Hang Seng rose 1.6 per cent and Chinas Shanghai Composite was up 0.3 per cent.  Markets in Japan and South Korea remained closed today.