Mumbai, Sep 4 - A key index of the Indian equities markets closed lower than the day's highs Friday, shutting shop 276 points higher than its previous close.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 15,425.86 points, ended at 15,674.88 points (provisional), up 276.55 points or 1.8 percent.

It had closed Thursday at 15,398.33 points.

The broader-based Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) followed the Sensex to end at 4,679.2 points, up 1.86 percent.

Broader market indices, too, ended on the gaining side, with the BSE midcap index closing 1.05 percent higher and the BSE smallcap index ending a similar 1.05 percent up.