Indian benchmark indices surged on on Thursday, a day before the Centre presents an interim budget. Positive comments by the United States Federal Reserve after it kept interest rate unchanged, and better-than-expected earnings reports by Axis Bank and ICICI Bank also helped the markets, Mint reported.

The BSE Sensex closed 665.44 points, or 1.87%, ahead at 36,256.69. The National Stock Exchange Nifty surged 179.15 points, or 1.68%, to finish at 10,830.95.

Axis Bank was the biggest gainer on both indices. Other top gainers on the Sensex were Tata Motors, Infosys, Reliance Industries and Kotak Mahindra Bank. On the Nifty, the biggest gainers apart from Axis Bank were Tata Motors, GAIL, Infosys and Titan Company.

Yes Bank was the biggest loser on both indices, its share price falling by 2.56% on the Sensex and 2.71% on the Nifty. Other stocks which declined on the Sensex were HCL Technologies, Bajaj Finance, ICICI Bank and Coal India. On the Nifty, these were Bajaj Finserv, Zee Entertainment, HCL Technologies and Indiabulls Housing Finance.