Mumbai, Feb 27 (IANS): Just a day ahead of the union budget, a benchmark index of Indian equities markets, the 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) surged 145 points or 0.50 percent in the pre-afternoon trade session Friday.

Bullish sentiments prevailed just before the day's biggest trigger - the economic survey was to be tabled in the Lok Sabha.

The markets had plunged by 261 points or 0.90 percent down in Thursday's trade, as future and options (F&O) expiry and railway budget subdued investor sentiments.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also made gains during the pre-afternoon trade session. It was trading up 53.15 points or 0.61 percent at 8,737 points.

The Sensex of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 28,865.12 points, was trading at 28,891.48 points (at 11.20 a.m.) in post-afternoon session, up 144.83 points or 0.50 percent from the previous day's close at 28,746.65 points.

The Sensex had touched a high of 28,991.40 points and a low of 28,837.06 points in the trade so far.

Healthy buying was observed in capital goods, metal, bank, automobile and healthcare sector. However, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), information technology (IT) and technology, entertainment and media (TECK).

The S&P BSE capital goods index was up 565.30 points, metal index was higher by 291.61 points, bank index rose 223.07 points, automobile index increased by 203.73 points and healthcare index augmented by 74.43 points.

However, S&P BSE FMCG index was down 139.16 points, IT index was lower by 13.70 points and TECK index slipped by 2.12 points.