Mumbai, March 13 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets was trading 73 points or 0.34 percent up in the late afternoon trade Thursday.

Healthy buying support was observed in bank, oil and gas, and automobile sectors, while selling pressure was seen in information technology (IT), technology, entertainment and media (TECk) and healthcare sectors.

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 21,736.61 points, was trading at 21,929.55 points around 2.15 p.m., up 73.33 points or 0.34 percent from the previous day's close at 21,856.22 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 21,991.36 points and a low of 21,720.13 points during the trade so far.

The S&P BSE bank index gained 263.13 points, oil and gas index got augmented by 221.11 points and automobile index went up by 183.45 points. However, IT index dropped by a whopping 304.97 points, followed by TECk index, down 136.90 points, and healthcare index was lower by 48.49 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was trading flat at 22.75 points or 0.35 percent up at 6,539.65 points.