Mumbai, Feb 12 (IANS): Positive global indices, coupled with healthy buying in capital goods, auto, banking, healthcare and metal stocks, pushed the key Indian equity indices higher on Monday.

The wider Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange held the 10,500-mark and provisionally closed (at 3.30 p.m.) higher by 84.80 points or 0.81 per cent at 10,539.75 points.

The barometer 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 34,203.34 points, closed at 34,300.47 points -- up 294.71 points or 0.87 per cent from its previous close.

The Sensex touched a high of 34,351.34 points and a low of 34,115.12 points during the intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was bullish as 2,024 stocks advanced as against 775 declines.

Last week on Friday, the key equities plunged into the negative territory amid a global sell-off.

The Sensex closed at 34,005.76 points -- down 407.40 points or 1.18 per cent from its previous session's close, while the Nifty50 fell by 121.90 points or 1.15 per cent to close at 10,454.95 points.