Mumbai, Dec 15 (IANS): Extending previous session's gains, key Indian equity indices on Friday opened on a higher note with healthy buying in banking, consumer durables and capital goods stocks.

Around 9.17 a.m., the wider Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) traded higher by 93.90 points or 0.92 per cent at 10,346 points.

The barometer 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 33,456.02 points, traded at 33,540.24 points -- up 293.54 points or 0.88 per cent -- from its previous close.

The Sensex touched a high of 33,605.11 points and a low of 33,456.02 points during the intra-day trade so far.

However, the BSE market breadth was bearish -- 1,572 declines and 1,049 advances.

On Thursday, short covering, along with positive hopes of the ruling BJP's win in the crucial two-phased Gujarat assembly elections, erased the day's entire losses and lifted the indices to close in the green.

The NSE Nifty50 edged higher by 59.15 points or 0.58 per cent to close at 10,252.10 points, while the BSE Sensex closed at 33,246.70 points -- up 193.66 points or 0.59 per cent.