Mumbai, Sep 29 (IANS): Positive global indices on the back of higher crude oil prices lifted the Indian equity markets during the early morning trade session on Thursday.
Both the key indices traded with gains of almost half a per cent each, as healthy buying was witnessed in stocks of automobile, banking, and oil and gas.
The wider 51-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) gained 42.95 points or 0.49 per cent, to 8,788.10 points.
The barometer 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 28,423.14 points, traded at 28,436.33 points (at 9.30 a.m.) -- up 143.52 points or 0.51 per cent from the previous close at 28,292.81 points.
The Sensex has so far touched a high of 28,475.57 points and a low of 28,418.32 points during the intra-day trade.
The BSE market breadth was skewed in favour of the bulls -- with 1,184 advances and 268 declines.
On Wednesday, the benchmark indices had ended in the positive territory, as short covering, along with value buying and fresh inflow of foreign funds, kept the sentiments buoyed.
The barometer index had risen by 69.11 points or 0.24 per cent, while the NSE Nifty had edged up 38.75 points or 0.45 per cent.