Indian shares posted their third weekly gain on Friday, led by drug makers such as Dr. Reddy's and Sun Pharma and amidst positive global cues.
Risk appetite was firm as investors hoped for an interest rate cut by the central bank after economic growth slowed following government's cash squeeze last year.
Gross domestic product grew 5.7 percent in April-June, its slowest pace since the January-March quarter 2014, data showed on Thursday.
The S&P BSE Sensex rose 0.51 percent at 31,892 while the broader NSE Nifty added 0.57 percent at 9,974.
Among the top index gainers: Dr Reddy's gained 10 percent, Bajaj Auto added 3.8 percent while Asian Paints and Tata Motors advanced 4 percent each.
S&P BSE healthcare index rose about 2 percent, amongst the top sectoral gainers.
Stocks of auto makers such as Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors advanced ahead of August month's sales numbers, to be released later in the day.
Dr Reddy's Laboratories climbed after the company won a lawsuit against Indivior Plc over three patents in relation to a drug used to treat opioid addiction.
Welspun Enterprises jumped 2.5 percent after the company said it got Rs 1,161 crore order from National Highways Authority of India.
Strides Shasun gained 1.4 percent after the company said its Bangalore unit got establishment inspection report from U.S. drug regulator.
Market breadth was in the favour of losers, with about 2 stocks declining to every 1 stock that advanced.
In global markets, Asian equities edged higher folowing Wall Street's gains overnight ahead of the U.S. jobs report later in the day.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.3 percent.
U.S. stocks closed higher overnight as investors responded to strong economic data.
The financial markets looked to the U.S. jobs report due at 1230 GMT for further clues on the state of the world's largest economy.
Economists polled by Reuters expect U.S. nonfarm payrolls increased by 180,000 jobs in August after surging 209,000 in July and average hourly earnings to have increased 0.2 percent after rising 0.3 percent in July.
