Mumbai, March 4 (IANS): A benchmark index of the Indian equities market closed Tuesday's trade 263 points higher, as bank, metal and capital goods stocks gained on global cues.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 21,0947.00 points, closed at 21,209.73 points, up 263.08 points or 1.26 percent from the previous day's close at 20,946.65 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 21,224.64 points and a low of 20,940.39 points in the day's trade.

The wider 50-scrip NIFTY of the national stock exchange (NSE) closed 76.50 points or 1.23 percent up at 6,297.95 points.

The S&P BSE Bank index was up 301.18 points, followed by metal index, up 286.60 points; capital goods index, up 205.17 points, oil and gas index, up 132.49 points and consumer durables index, up 117.97 points.

However, the S&P BSE healthcare index was down 42.59 points, followed by the information technology (IT) index, which was lower by 1.18 points.

The prominent Sensex gainers were Hindalco Inds, up 7.82 percent at Rs.113.75; Sesa Sterlite, up 4.88 percent at Rs.182.80; ICICI Bank, up 3.75 percent at Rs.1,068.30; Axis Bank, up 3.29 percent ats.1,295.05; and Gail India, up 3.07 percent at Rs.379.95.

The major losers included Sun Pharma, down 0.73 percent at Rs.620.50 and DrReddys Lab, down 0.45 percent at Rs.2,802.55.

Among the Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 0.47 percent up, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.70 percent higher. However, China's Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.18 percent.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 was trading 1.58 percent up. Germany's DAX Index was higher by 1.97 percent, and the French CAC 40 Index rose 2.37 percent.

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