Mumbai, Nov 23 (IANS): Positive global cues, coupled with short covering and value buying, lifted the Indian equity markets on Wednesday.

The key indices provisionally closed the day's trade in the green, as healthy buying was witnessed in healthcare, metal and capital goods stocks. 

The wider 51-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) edged up by 31 points or 0.39 per cent to 8,033.30 points.

The barometer 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 26,101.33 points, provisionally closed at 26,051.81 points (at 3.30 p.m.) -- up 91.03 points or 0.35 per cent from the previous close at 25,960.78 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 26,130.49 points and a low of 25,877.16 points during the intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was skewed in favour of the bulls -- with 1,908 advances and 676 declines.

On Tuesday, the equity markets closed in the green for the first time after six straight sessions of losses on the back of attractive valuations, along with higher global crude oil prices and positive global indices.

The barometer index was up by 195.64 points or 0.76 per cent, whereas the NSE Nifty edged up by 73.20 points or 0.92 per cent.