Mumbai, Aug 26 - Indian equities continued their rally for the fifth consecutive session Wednesday, with a key index ending 77 points higher than its previous close.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened higher on strong Asian cues at 15,763.09 points, ended at 15,765.65 points (provisional), up 77.18 points or 0.49 percent.

Around noon, the index had slipped to a low of 15,695.94 points, but recouped losses and touched an intra day high of 15,831.49 points.

The broader-based Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also closed higher at 4679.45 points, up 0.43 percent.

Broader market indices also ended in the green, with the BSE midcap index closing 1.03 percent higher and the BSE smallcap index ending 1.91 percent up.