Mumbai, Dec 5 (IANS): Led by good buying support in banking, capital goods and realty stocks, a benchmark index of the Indian equities markets soared past the 21,000-points-mark in pre-noon trade Thursday.

The 30-scrip S&P Sensex of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened sharply higher at 20,992.25 points, was ruling at 20,995.21 points in the afternoon session, up 1.38 percent or 286.50 points from its previous day close at 20,708.71 points.

The benchmark Sensex soured past the psychological resistance level of 21,000 points and touched a high of 21,165.60 in the intra-day in a 456-points jump.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was ruling 1.30 percent or 80 points higher at 6,240.95 points.

There was strong buying support in banking, capital goods, realty, PSU and power stocks.

Banking index of the BSE soared 4.14 percent. Capital goods index jumped 3.33 percent. Realty index rallied 1.92 percent. PSU index was up 1.49 percent and power index was trading 1.41 percent higher.