Mumbai, Jan 10 (IANS): The key Indian equity market indices on Thursday opened higher despite a muted trend in Asian markets.

The Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE, which had closed at 36, 212.91 points on Wednesday, opened higher at 36, 258 points.

Minutes into trading, it was quoting at 36,172.53 points, down by 40.38 points, or 0.11 per cent.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 51-scrip Nifty, which had closed at 10,855.15 points on Wednesday, was quoting at 10,839.65 points, down by 15.50 points or 0.14 per cent.

Despite heavy volatility, fresh inflows of foreign funds and buying interest in the FMCG, banking and realty stocks had lifted the Indian equity market for the fourth straight session on Wednesday.

The Sensex was up by 231.98 points or 0.64 per cent at the Wednesday's closing. In the day's trade, the barometer 30-scrip sensitive index had touched a high of 36,250.54 points and a low of 35,863.29 points. The Nifty, too was up by 53 points or 0.49 per cent.

On Thursday, Asian indices were mostly showing a negative trend. Japan's Nikkei 225 was quoting in red, down by 1.25 per cent while Hang Seng was down by 0.04 per cent, South Korea's Kospi was down by 0.01 per cent. China's Shanghai Composite index was trading in green, up by 0.10 per cent.

Overnight, the Nasdaq closed in green, up by 0.87 per cent while the FTSE 100 was also up by 0.66 per cent at the closing on Wednesday.