Mumbai, Feb 15 (IANS): Positive global cues, coupled with healthy buying in metals, banking and IT stocks, pushed the key Indian equity indices higher during the mid-afternoon trade session on Thursday.

Index heavyweights like ICICI Bank, Infosys, Yes Bank, HDFC and State Bank of India added to the upward trajectory of the key indices.

Around 1.20 p.m., the wider Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange edged higher by 71.45 points or 0.68 per cent at 10,572.35 points.

On the BSE, the barometer 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex), which opened at 34,207.57 points, traded at 34,381.94 points -- up 225.99 points or 0.66 per cent from its previous close.

The Sensex has so far touched a high of 34,535.08 points and a low of 34,194.67 points during the intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was however bearish as 1,618 stocks declined as against 1,072 advances.

On Wednesday, a massive sell-off in banking sector stocks pulled the equity indices lower.

The Sensex receded by 144.52 points or 0.42 per cent to 34,155.95 points, while the Nifty50 fell by 38.85 points or 0.37 per cent to close at 10,500.90 points.