Mumbai, July 31 - Indian equities markets were holding on to their gains Friday afternoon, with a key index ruling 273 points up from its previous close.

Around 1.58 p.m., the 30-scrip benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the Sensex, which opened higher at 15,449.47 points, was ruling at 15,661.74 points - 273.78 points or 1.78 percent higher than Thursday's closing figure.

Around the same time, the S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) too was in the positive terrain, 1.51 percent up at 4,640.5 points.

Broader market indices also made gains, with the BSE midcap index trading 1.21 percent higher and the BSE smallcap index moving up 0.54 percent.