Mumbai, Jun 15 (IANS): The key Indian equity market indices on Thursday opened higher after the US Federal Reserve raised its key interest rate.

The Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE, which had closed at 31,155.91 points on Wednesday, opened higher at 31,222.89 points.

Minutes into trading, it was quoting at 31,150.96 points, down by 4.95 points, or 0.02 per cent.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 51-scrip Nifty, which had closed at 9,618.15 points, was quoting at 9,608.25 points, down by 9.90 points or 0.10 per cent.

US Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised the benchmark interest rates for the fourth time since December 2015 and unveiled plan to start trimming its balance sheet.

The Indian equity markets on Wednesday provisionally closed on a flat-to-positive note on the back of healthy wholesale price index (WPI) data and buying in capital goods, oil and gas as well as energy stocks.

The Sensex was up by 52.42 points or 0.17 per cent at the Wednesday's closing.

In the day's trade, the barometer 30-scrip sensitive index had touched a high of 31,190.36 points and a low of 31,054.94 points. The Nifty too was up by 11.25 points or 0.12 per cent.

On Thursday, Asian indices were showing a negative trend.

Japan's Nikkei 225 was trading in red, down by 0.43 per cent, Hang Seng down by 1.09 percent while South Korea's Kospi was also down by 0.70 per cent.

China's Shanghai Composite index was quoting in red, down by 0.05 per cent.

Nasdaq closed in red, down by 0.41 per cent while FTSE 100 was down by 0.35 per cent at the closing on Wednesday.