Mumbai, Aug 20 (IANS): Positive global cues along with a recovery in the rupee value pushed the key indices of the Indian equity market higher during the pre-noon trade session on Monday.

According to market observers, healthy buying was witnessed in interest rate sensitive stocks such as capital goods, automobile, banks.

Further the Indian rupee traded at 69.80 to a US dollar from its previous close of 70.16 against a greenback.

Around 11.15 a.m., the broader Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) traded at 11,539.05 points -- higher by 68.30 points or 0.60 per cent -- from its previous close.

The barometer 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex), which opened at 38,075.07 points, traded at 38,241.39 points -- higher by 293.51 points or 0.77 per cent -- from its previous session's close of 37,947.88 points.

Sensex has so far touched a high of 38,266.95 points and a low of 38,050.69 points during the intra-day trade.

On Friday -- the previous trade session -- both the key indices made gains on the back of broadly positive global cues.

Index-wise, the NSE Nifty50 stood at 11,470.75 points, up 85.70 points or 0.75 per cent from its previous close.

The S&P BSE Sensex, which had opened at 37,898.60 points, closed at 37,947.88 points, up 284.32 points or 0.75 per cent from the previous close of 37,663.56 points.