Mumbai, March 11 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets, the 30-scrip BSE Sensitive Index (Sensex), was trading up 86 points or 0.30 percent in the late afternoon session on Wednesday.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was up 29.45 points or 0.34 percent at 8,741.50 points.

The Sensex of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 28,725.75 points, was trading at 28,796.25 points (2.30 p.m.), up 86.38 points or 0.30 percent from the previous day's close at 28,709.87 points.

The Sensex has touched a high of 28,843.23 points and a low of 28,626.96 points in the trade so far.

Healthy buying was observed in bank, automobile, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), consumer durables and information technology (IT). However, metal, healthcare and oil and gas stocks were down.

The S&P BSE bank index was up 131.92 points, automobile index was higher by 44.59 points, FMCG index rose 42.97 points, consumer durables index increased 38.49 points and IT index gained 32.72 points.

However, the S&P BSE metal index was down 135.42 points, followed by healthcare index which was lower by 23.73 points and oil and gas index which declined by 14.09 points.