Mumbai, May 4 (IANS): Cheering the decisions of Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, the key Indian equity market indices on Thursday opened higher.

The Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE, which had closed at 29,894.80 points on Wednesday, opened higher at 30,069.72 points. Minutes into trading, it was quoting at 30,041.39 points, up by 146.59 points, or 0.49 per cent.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 51-scrip Nifty, which had closed at 9,311.95 points, was quoting at 9,348.70 points, up by 36.75 points or 0.39 per cent.

Negative global cues, coupled with outflow of foreign funds and heavy selling pressure in healthcare, oil and gas, and banking stocks, led the Indian equity markets to close on flat-to-negative note on Wednesday.

Market observers said investors were cautious ahead of the outcome of the US Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meet.

The Sensex was down by 26.38 points or 0.09 per cent at the Wednesday's closing. In the day's trade, the barometer 30-scrip sensitive index had touched a high of 30,020.59 points and a low of 29,846.57 points.

The Nifty was down by 1.85 points or 0.02 per cent.

On Thursday, Asian indices were mostly showing a mixed trend after the end of its two-day meeting, the US Federal Reserve kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged, but downplayed weak first-quarter economic growth and emphasised on the strength of the labour market.

Japan's Nikkei 225 was trading in green, up by 0.70 per cent, Hang Seng down by 0.53 per cent while South Korea's Kospi was up by 0.61 per cent. China's Shanghai Composite index was quoting in red, down by 0.15 per cent.

Overnight Nasdaq closed in red, down by 0.38 per cent while FTSE 100 was in red, down by 0.21 per cent at the closing on Wednesday.