Key Indian equity market indices open higher

Mumbai, Feb 8 (IANS) Taking a cue from global markets, the key Indian equity indices on Thursday opened higher.

The Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE, which had closed at 34,082.71 points on Wednesday, opened higher at 34,208.11 points.

Minutes into trading, it was quoting at 34,152.82 points, up by 70.11 points, or 0.21 per cent.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 51-scrip Nifty, which had closed at 10,476.70 points on Wednesday, was quoting at 10,496.05 points, up by 19.35 points or 0.18 per cent.

The equity markets on Wednesday had traded flat after the Reserve Bank of India in its final bi-monthly monetary policy review of the fiscal kept the key interest rate unchanged at six per cent for the fourth time in succession, citing concerns about the inflationary push by rising global crude oil prices.

The Sensex was down by 113.23 points or 0.33 per cent at the Wednesday's closing. In the day's trade, the barometer 30-scrip sensitive index had touched a high of 34,666.33 points and a low of 34,008.42 points. The Nifty too, was down by 21.55 points or 0.21 per cent.

On Thursday, Asian indices were mostly showing a positive trend. Japan's Nikkei 225 was trading in green, up by 0.40 per cent, Hang Seng up by 0.01 per cent while South Korea's Kospi was up by 0.52 per cent. China's Shanghai Composite index was, however, quoting in red, down by 0.17 per cent.

Nasdaq closed in red, down by 0.91 per cent while FTSE 100 was up by 1.90 per cent at the closing on Wednesday.