Mumbai, Apr 8 (PTI) Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty were trading sharply higher on Wednesday afternoon trade in-tandem with an impressive rally in global markets and a drop in crude oil prices after the US and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire.

The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 2,988.82 points or 4 per cent to 77,605.40. The 50-share NSE Nifty surged 890.35 points or 3.85 per cent to 24,014.

From the 30-Sensex firms, InterGlobe Aviation jumped the most by nearly 10 per cent. Larsen & Toubro, Bajaj Finance, Maruti, UltraTech Cement and Mahindra & Mahindra were also among the prominent gainers.

Tech Mahindra, Sun Pharma and Power Grid were the laggards from the pack.

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, tumbled 13.70 per cent to USD 94.44 per barrel.

"The key trigger is the announcement of a two-week pause in US military action, alongside Iran’s agreement to facilitate safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. This has significantly reduced immediate concerns around energy supply disruptions, which had been a major overhang for global markets," Hariprasad K, Research Analyst and Founder, Livelong Wealth, said.

He further added that the easing of geopolitical stress has led to a sharp fall in global crude oil prices, which is particularly positive for India from both inflation and currency perspectives.

Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of India kept its key policy rate unchanged on Wednesday, adopting a cautious wait-and-watch stance as policymakers assessed the fallout from the six-week Iran conflict on energy supplies, inflation and growth.

The central bank's six-member Monetary Policy Committee voted unanimously to keep the benchmark repurchase rate at 5.25 per cent, flagging heightened uncertainty after the West Asia conflict drove crude prices sharply higher, weakened the rupee and disrupted trade flows.

"RBI MPC meeting outcome was largely along expected lines, with both rates and stance maintained given ongoing geopolitical uncertainty," Naval Kagalwala, COO & Head of Products, Shriram Wealth Ltd, said.

In Asian markets, South Korea's benchmark Kospi surged nearly 7 per cent and Japan's Nikkei 225 index jumped over 5 per cent. Shanghai's SSE Composite index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index also recorded sharp rallies.

US markets ended flat on Tuesday.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 8,692.11 crore on Tuesday, according to exchange data. Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs), however, bought stocks worth Rs 7,979.50 crore.

On Tuesday, the Sensex jumped 509.73 points or 0.69 per cent to settle at 74,616.58. The Nifty climbed 155.40 points or 0.68 per cent to end at 23,123.65. PTI SUM SUM DR DR

Market rally and unchanged RBI policy follow easing geopolitical stress and a sharp fall in crude oil prices. Equity markets rallied sharply after a US-Iran ceasefire and a fall in crude oil prices reduced concerns over energy supply disruption and inflation pressure. The Reserve Bank of India kept the benchmark repurchase rate unchanged and maintained a cautious wait-and-watch stance, citing uncertainty from the West Asia conflict, its impact on energy supplies, inflation, growth, the rupee, and trade flows.