Markets open higher; Sensex crosses 32,500 mark, Nifty up 35 points

The key Indian equity market indices on Thursday opened higher after the US Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged.

The Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE, which had closed at 32,382.46 points on Wednesday, opened higher at 32,519.44 points.

Minutes into trading, it was quoting at 32,500.09 points, up by 117.63 points or 0.36 %.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 51-scrip Nifty, which had closed at 10,020.65 points, was quoting at 10,055.85 points, up by 35.20 points or 0.35 %.

Shares of Idea Cellular were trading up ahead of its first quarter result announcement on Thursday morning at 0956 hours on BSE Sensex. Idea's shares were up 1.43% or 1.35 points at Rs 96 per share.

In a statement the US Federal Reserve said information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in June indicates that the labour market has continued to strengthen and that economic activity has been rising moderately so far this year. 

Job gains have been solid, on average, since the beginning of the year, and the unemployment rate has declined.

Household spending and business fixed investment have continued to expand.

"On a 12-month basis, overall inflation and the measure excluding food and energy prices have declined and are running below two %," it said.

On Thursday, Asian indices were showing a positive trend. Japan`s Nikkei 225 was trading in green, up by 0.07 %, Hang Seng up by 0.41 % while South Korea`s Kospi was also up by 0.19 %. 

China`s Shanghai Composite index was quoting in red, down by 0.33 %.

Nasdaq closed in green, up by 0.16 % while FTSE 100 was up by 0.23 % at the closing on Wednesday.