Mumbai, Jan 23 (IANS): A benchmark index for Indian equities markets was trading 42.08 points higher in the afternoon trade Wednesday, as banks, capital goods and realty stocks rallied.

The BSE Sensex, which opened at 19,997.04 points, was at 20,024.37 points around 12 p.m. - up 42.80 points or 0.21 percent from its previous close at 19,981.57 points.

The BSE Sensex touched an intra-day high of 20,055.07 points and a low of 19,991.88 points.

The BSE midcap index was down 11.27 points, while the smallcap index was marginally lower by 0.73 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was trading up 5.20 points or 0.09 percent at 6,053.70 points.

Major indices like bank index was higher by 53.20 points, followed by capital goods index which was up 22.47 points. The realty index was up 18.33 points.

In terms of losers, automobile index was down 58.67 points, while the consumer durables index was down 45.16 points and oil and gas index was lower by 42.85 points.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei was down 2.08 percent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng was lower by 0.29 percent and China's Shanghai Composite Index was lower by 0.15 percent.