Mumbai, June 30 (IANS): Short covering on the back of latest key economic decisions, combined with positive global cues and a firm rupee, lifted the Indian equity markets on Thursday.

The day's rally led the wider 51-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) to touch its new 2016 intra-day high, whereas the barometer 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE reclaimed the 27,000 points mark.

Both the key indices provisionally closed in the positive territory, with healthy buying witnessed in banking, automobile and capital goods stocks.

The NSE Nifty edged up by 83.75 points or 1.02 per cent, at 8,287.75 points.

Similarly, the BSE Sensex made appreciable gains during the day's trade. It opened at 26,926.17 points and provisionally closed at 26,999.72 points (at 3.30 p.m.) -- up 259.33 points or 0.97 per cent from the previous close at 26,740.36 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 27,069.23 points and a low of 26,872.59 points during the intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was tilted in favour of the bulls -- with 1,608 advances and 1,003 declines.

On Wednesday, the key indices ended on a positive note due to supportive global and domestic cues. The barometer index surged by 215.84 points or 0.81 per cent, while the Nifty edged up by 76.15 points or 0.94 per cent.