Indian shares end higher on Gujarat exit polls boost

Indian shares ended higher on Friday, led by banks, as early surveys forecast a victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party in the key Gujarat state elections. The benchmark BSE index closed up 0.65 percent at 33,462.97, while the broader NSE index ended 0.79 percent higher at 10,333.25. Both the indexes rose over 0.6 percent in their second straight weekly gains. The rupee strengthened to 64.15 versus the dollar from 64.34 on Thursday, while the benchmark 10-year bond yield eased to 7.12 percent.