Sensex Rallies 1,335 Points, Nifty Reclaims 18,050; HDFC Twins Surge On Merger Plans

The Indian equity benchmarks on Monday extended their gains for the second straight session, led by a strong buying interest in banking and financial stocks. The domestic indices surged to hit their highest in more than two-and-a-half months after mortgage lender HDFC announced its plan to merge with private lender HDFC Bank.