The BSE Sensex rose 73 points, or 0.2%, to 80,698 in morning trade on Thursday, extending gains for a second straight session. The index tracked an upbeat session on Wall Street on Wednesday, as expectations of a Fed rate cut in September continued to lift market sentiment. Traders also monitored developments around a planned meeting between US President Trump and Russian President Putin, scheduled for August 15 in Alaska, which could help ease US-India trade tensions. Investor focus remained on Q1 earnings, with several companies set to report their results later today, including Vodafone Idea and Indian Oil Corporation. The Nifty 50 rose 0.1% to above 24,650, while small-cap and mid-cap indices declined 0.3% and 0.2%, respectively. Gains in the tech, banking, financial services, and pharmaceutical sectors drove the market higher, with notable performers including Infosys (1.5%), Bajaj Finserv (0.7%), ICICI Bank (0.5%), Maruti Suzuki (0.4%), and HDFC Bank (0.4%)