Mumbai, Aug 17 (IANS): Firm global cues lifted the key Indian equity indices on Friday with the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex rising around 300 points.

According to the market observers, healthy buying in the banking, metal and healthcare stocks lifted the key incides.

At 1.45 p.m., the wider Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) traded at 11,469.45 up 84.40 or 0.74 per cent from the previous close.

Similarly, the BSE Sensex made gains, trading at 37,960.08 points at 1.45 p.m., higher by 296.52 or 0.79 per cent from the previous close of 37,663.56 points.

It has so far touched an intra-day high 37,985.11 points and a low of 37,840.16 points.

In a major development, FMCG major ITC on Friday touched a 52-week high Rs 315 per share on the BSE. Around 1.55 p.m., the share price was at Rs 314.55, higher by 7.75 points and 2.53 per cent from its previous close.

The top gainers so far were Vedanta, Yes Bank, Tata Steel and ITC, whereas the major losers were Bharti Airtel, ONGC, Power Grid and Wipro.