Mumbai, Oct 12 (IANS): Buoyed by positive global cues and healthy buying in metals, banking and automobile stocks, key Indian equity indices provisionally closed on a higher note on Thursday.

Paring the previous day's losses, the equity indices surged during the last hour of trade. Index heavyweights like Reliance Industries, Tata Consultancy Services, Sun Pharma, Axis Bank and Hindustan Unilever among others aided in the upward trajectory of the indices, according to market observers.

The wider Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) surged by 111.60 points, or 1.12 per cent, to provisionally close at 10,096.40 points (at 3.30 p.m.).

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE closed above the psychologically important 32,000-mark. It closed at 32,182.22 points -- up 348.23 points, or 1.09 per cent, from its previous close.

The Sensex touched a high of 32,209.03 points and a low of 31,813.67 during intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was bullish -- 1,694 advances and 980 declines.

On Wednesday, the benchmark indices closed in the red as heavy selling pressure in metal, banking and automobile stocks, along with outflow of foreign funds, kept investors' sentiments subdued.

The Nifty50 closed lower by 32.15 points, or 0.32 per cent, at 9,984.80 points, while the Sensex closed at 31,833.99 points -- down 90.42 points, or 0.28 per cent.