Mumbai, Aug 4 (IANS): Indian equity markets pared their initial losses to provisionally close in the green on Friday, as broadly positive European markets and a surge in buying activites in consumer durables, oil and gas, and metal stocks, lifted investors' sentiments.

The wider Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) provisionally closed higher by 56.50 points or 0.56 per cent at 10,070.15 points (at 3.30 p.m.).

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 32,191.12 points, closed at 32,324.45 points -- up 86.57 points, or 0.27 per cent -- from its previous close at 32,237.88 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 32,352.19 points and a low of 32,107.99 points during intra-day trade.

However, the BSE market breadth was bearish with 1,384 declines and 1,202 advances.

On Thursday, weak services sector data and heavy selling pressure in banking and metal stocks dragged the benchmark indices lower.

The Nifty50 fell by 67.85 points or 0.67 per cent to close at 10,013.65 points, while the Sensex closed at 32,237.88 points -- down 238.86 points, or 0.74 per cent.