Mumbai, Jul 1 (IANS): Positive global cues pushed the Indian equity markets higher on Friday.

The key indices were seen trading with appreciable gains during the early morning trade session, with healthy buying witnessed in stocks of health care, automobile and consumer durables.

The barometer 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 27,064.33 points, traded at 27,165.32 points (at 9.30 a.m.) -- up 165.60 points or 0.61 per cent from the previous close at 26,999.72 points.

It has so far touched a high of 27,220.01 points and a low of 27,061.40 points.

The BSE market breadth was skewed in favour of the bulls -- with 1,117 advances and 337 declines.

The wider 51-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) edged up to 8,335.10 points -- up 47.35 points or 0.57 per cent.

The benchmark indices on Thursday touched their highest intra-day levels in the last eight months. The barometer index surged by 259.33 points or 0.97 per cent, while the Nifty edged up by by 83.75 points or 1.02 per cent.