Markets witness positive opening

Sensex up 39 points at 17,191

The markets have opened on a positive note tracking positive global cues. The Sensex is up 39 points at 17,191. Nifty has gained 11 points to 5,213.

At the domestic level, the F&O expiry for the April series could keep the gains under check.

US stocks rallied on Wednesday, with Apple's surge giving the Nasdaq its biggest gain of the year, while the Fed chairman reassured markets that the central bank would do more if necessary to lift the economy.

The Dow Jones industrial average moved up 0.7 percent to 13,091 at the close. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index gained 1.4 percent to 1,391.

In Asia, Japan's benchmark Nikkei average opened up 0.6 percent at 9,613 on Thursday, while the broader Topix gained 0.6 percent to 815.

Back home, the Nifty is likely to seek support around 5,175 and 5,155, while it can face resistance around 5,230 and 5,250 levels, analysts say.