Mumbai, Jul 29 (PTI): Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty bounced back after a three-day fall, ending higher on Tuesday, powered by a rally in blue-chip stocks Reliance Industries and HDFC Bank.

The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 446.93 points or 0.55 per cent to settle at 81,337.95. During the day, it surged 538.86 points or 0.66 per cent to 81,429.88.

The 50-share NSE Nifty climbed 140.20 points or 0.57 per cent to 24,821.10.

From the Sensex firms, Reliance Industries edged higher by 2.21 per cent. Larsen & Toubro, Asian Paints, Tata Motors, Adani Ports, Tata Steel, Maruti, Bharti Airtel, Bajaj Finance and HDFC Bank were also among the gainers.

However, Axis Bank, Tata Consultancy Services, Titan and ITC were among the biggest laggards.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 6,082.47 crore on Monday, according to exchange data.

In Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei 225 index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng settled lower while South Korea's Kospi and Shanghai's SSE Composite index ended in positive territory.

Markets in Europe were trading higher. The US markets ended on a mixed note on Monday.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude climbed 0.63 per cent up to USD 70.48 a barrel.

Stock markets declined for the third day on Monday.

The Sensex tanked 572.07 points or 0.70 per cent to settle at 80,891.02 on Monday. The Nifty declined 156.10 points or 0.63 per cent to 24,680.90.

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Bengaluru (PTI): A 36-year-old woman, who went trekking at Tadiandamol hills in Kodagu district, has gone missing inside the forest. Additional personnel and drone cameras have been deployed to search for her, Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said on Sunday.

He said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, expressing concern about the young woman's disappearance, instructed that search operations be intensified.

G S Sharanya had come alone from Kerala for the trek and stayed at a private homestay in Kakkabe village.

She had gone to the high mountain range of Tadiandamol hills in Kodagu with a guide and 15 other trekkers on April 2. She went missing that afternoon. As soon as the matter was known, five teams of 50 people, including police, the anti-Naxal squad, a dog squad and forest personnel were formed, and are conducting searches, the minister's office said in a statement.

According to Khandre, CM Siddaramaiah expressed concern about the disappearance of the young woman who went on a trek and instructed that additional personnel be deployed for the search.

"Four additional teams of 40 personnel have been deployed today. A total of 9 teams are conducting the search operation. Honest efforts continue to find the missing young woman," he said.

Further noting that, as per reports, the young woman last contacted the homestay by phone on Thursday, stating she had lost her way, the minister said, "Search is being conducted based on her phone location. Local tribal people have also rushed to help, and sophisticated thermal drone cameras have been obtained with an additional team deployed starting today."