Mumbai, Jul 27 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Friday was trading 180 points up in the late afternoon trade.

Erasing its early day gains on profit booking, the 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 16,860.16 points, was ruling at 16,820.19 points, 1.08 percent or 180.37 points up from its previous day's close at 16,639.82 points.

The BSE metal index was up 189.52 points, followed by FMCG index, up 67.02 points and IT, up 44.44 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was ruling 1.04 percent up at 5,095.55 points.

The major Sensex gainers were Sterlite Inds, up 3.48 percent at Rs.101.35; Tata Motors, up 3.22 percent at Rs.211.45; Tata Steel, up 3.21 percent at Rs.396.50; Hindalco Inds, up 2.90 percent at Rs.117.20 and HDFC Bank, up 2.80 percent at Rs.582.35.

The main losers were SBI, down 2.09 percent at Rs.1,974.90; Hero MotoCorp, down 1.77 percent at Rs.2,003; BHEL, down 1.72 percent at Rs.208.70; Cipla, down 0.44 percent at Rs.326.70 and Bajaj Auto, down 0.22 percent at Rs.1,579.55.

Other Asian markets were in the green after the American markets closed over 1 percent up overnight Thursday, as European policy makers said they would preserve the euro.

Japan's Nikkei was up 1.46 percent while Shanghai's composite index ruled 0.13 percent higher. Hong Kong's Hang Seng was also up 2.02 percent.

European markets turned red. France's CAC was down 0.27 percent and so was Germany's DAX, down 1.03 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 was trading 0.39 percent lower.