MUMBAI: Positive global cues, coupled with value buying and expectations of healthy monsoon rains, lent a fillip to the Indian equity markets on Wednesday.

Consequently, the key indices provisionally closed the day's trade with healthy gains, with buying witnessed in banks, capital goods, automobile, information technology (IT) and oil and gas stocks.

The wider 51-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) gained 186.05 points, or 2.40 percent, to close at 7,934.90 points.

The barometer 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 25,432.10 points, provisionally closed at 25,881.17 points (at 3.30 p.m.) -- up 575.70 points or 2.28 percent from the previous close at 25,305.47 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 25,897.87 points and a low of 25,430.59 points during the intra-day trade.

The BSE market breadth was skewed in favour of the bulls -- with 1,572 advances and 963 declines.

Both the key indices had ended on a positive note during the previous trade session on Tuesday.

The barometer index had risen by 75.11 points or 0.30 percent, while the NSE Nifty had inched up by 17.80 points or 0.23 percent.

In terms of broader markets, the midcap and smallcap indices gained around one percent each.

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