Mumbai, Feb 24 (IANS): A benchmark index of the Indian equities market Monday closed 111 points higher as capital goods and bank stocks rose.

The 30-scrip sensitive (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 20,695.48 points, closed at 20,811.44 points, up 110.69 points or 0.53 percent, from previous day's close of 20,700.75 points.

The wider 50-scrip NIFTY of the national stock exchange (NSE) closed the day's trade up 30.65 points or 0.50 percent at 6,186.10 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 20,828.63 points and a low of 20,637.30 points in the day's trade.

The S&P BSE capital goods index was up 248.89 points, followed by bank index, up 143.26 points, healthcare index closed the day's trade higher by 114.93 points, automobile index, up 82.32 points an oil ans gas index, up 40.14 points.

However, the metal index was down 81.58 points, followed by information technology (IT) index, lower by 36.44 points, technology, entertainment and media (TECk) index, down 26.28 points, and power index, down 22.40 points.

The prominent Sensex gainers were Tata Power, up 5.02 percent at Rs.82.65; BHEL, up 3.95 percent at Rs.156.45; Axis Bank, up 3.85 percent at Rs.1,235.50; Larsen and Toubro (L&T), up 2.85 percent at Rs.1,081.60; and DrReddys Lab, up 2.42 percent at Rs.2,795.15.

The major losers included NTPC, down 11.43 percent at Rs.117.05; Bharti Airtel, down 1.84 percent at Rs.282.90; Tata Steel, down 1.26 percent at Rs.369.20; Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), down 1.23 percent at Rs.2,178.20; and Sesa Sterlite, down 1.16 percent at Rs.183.85.

Among the Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 0.19 percent down and Hong Kong's Hang Seng was lower by 0.80 percent. China's Shanghai Composite Index ended lower by 1.75 percent.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 was trading 0.29 percent down, while Germany's DAX Index was lower by 0.13 percent. The French CAC 40 Index rose 0.11 percent.

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