MUMBAI: Hopes of healthy third-quarter (Q3) results, coupled with positive macro-economic data, lifted the Indian equity markets on Monday.

However, investors remained cautious ahead of the GST Council meet slated to be held later during the day. Nevertheless, healthy buying was witnessed in banking, metal and auto stocks.

The wider 51-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) rose by 12.45 points or 0.15 per cent to 8,412.80 points.

The barometer 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 27,238.35 points, provisionally closed at 27,288.17 points (at 3.30 p.m.) -- up 50.11 points or 0.18 per cent from the previous close at 27,238.06 points.

The Sensex has touched a high of 27,335.08 points and a low of 27,172.68 points during intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was tilted in favour of the bulls -- with 1,553 advances and 1,206 declines.

On Friday, profit booking, coupled with a depreciating rupee and disappointing earnings guidance from an IT major, dragged the benchmark indices lower.

The NSE Nifty shed 6.85 points or 0.08 per cent to 8,400.35 points while the BSE Sensex down 9.10 points or 0.03 per cent.

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