Mumbai, Oct 26 (IANS): Healthy buying in interest rate sensitive stocks, derivatives expiry and broadly positive global cues buoyed the Indian equity markets during the mid-afternoon trade session on Thursday.

According to market observers, the off-take in interest rate sensitive stocks along with those of metals, healthcare and oil and gas scrip kept the barometer 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE above the 33,000-points-mark.

Similarly, the wider Nifty 50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) traded above the 10,300-points-mark.

At 1.15 p.m.,A the NSE Nifty 50 gained 20.95 points or 0.20 per cent at 10,316.30 points.

The Sensex of the BSE, which opened at 33,025.17 points, traded at 33,067.61 points (at 1.15 p.m.), higher by 25.11 points or 0.08 per cent from Wednesday's close at 33,042.50 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 33,112.51 points and a low of 32,835.06 points during the intra-day trade so far.