The domestic stock markets recovered from a weak start on Friday and closed higher, supported by improving geopolitical sentiment and a return of foreign institutional investor (FII) inflows. The NSE Nifty 50 index ended at 24,353.55, gaining 156.80 points or 0.65 per cent, while the BSE Sensex closed at 78,493.54, up by 504.86 points or 0.65 per cent.