BENGALURU: Indian shares advanced on Thursday to close the fiscal year with weekly and quarterly gains in a holiday-shortened week, led by financials after the central bank eased recently tightened rules for lenders’ investments in alternative investment funds.

The blue-chip NSE Nifty 50 index rose 0.92% to 22,326.90, while the BSE Sensex settled 0.90% higher at 73,651.35.

The Nifty 50 has gained about 29% in the year ending March 31, its best performance in three fiscal years.

The benchmark has advanced 2.74% in the January-March quarter, extending gains for four straight quarters in a row, besides logging a second straight weekly gain of 1.04%.