BENGALURU: Indian shares struggled for direction for most of the session on Thursday, logging gains at the close on a rise in Reliance Industries and financials stocks, while investors awaited key US and domestic economic data.

The blue-chip index NSE Nifty 50 added 0.14% to 21,982.80, while the BSE Sensex gained 0.27% to 72,500.30. Both the benchmarks gained about 1% in February.

The benchmarks swung between gains of 0.3% and losses of 0.3% during the session, before inching up in the final 30 minutes of trade, ahead of the expiry of the February series monthly derivatives.

The Nifty 50 has been consolidating near the 22,000 level for the last 11 sessions, closing between 22,212.70 and 21,910.75 since Feb. 15.

Reliance Industries rose 0.67% after it announced a merger with Walt Disney on Wednesday, creating a $8.5 billion entertainment behemoth.