Stock market opening: Nifty above 18,560, Sensex up 200 points

(Reuters) - Indian shares rose on Friday as strong monthly sales boosted auto stocks, while investor appetite for risky assets improved on bets that the U.S. Federal Reserve could pause its interest rates hikes.

The blue-chip Nifty 50 index was up 0.43% at 18,566.9 as of 9:20 a.m. IST, while the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex advanced 0.41% to 62,684.71.

Two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp was the top gainer on the Nifty 50 so far, rising 3.7% after it reported strong domestic sales in May.

Asian peers also climbed, as markets priced in a 20% chance of the Fed hiking by 25 basis points in two weeks compared to 50% chance a week earlier, while progress on the bill to raise U.S. debt ceiling also aided sentiment.