By IANS,
Mumbai : A benchmark index of the Indian equities markets was trading 72 points higher late Thursday morning, helped by gains in heavyweight stocks RIL and ONGC.
The sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,525.71 points, was ruling at 17,584.88 points 30 minutes before noon, up 74.4 points or 0.47 percent from its previous close at 17,509.8 points.
RIL, ONGC and ICICI Bank were among the key stocks that were propping up the Sensex.
Around the same time, at the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was at 5,263.05 points, against the previous close at 5,233.95 points, a gain of 0.56 percent.
Broader market indices were also ruling higher, with the BSE midcap index up 1.14 percent and the BSE small cap index trading 1.57 percent higher.
The market breadth was positive, with as many as 2,035 stocks advancing, compared to 662 on the decline, and 59 remaining unchanged.
Other Asian markets too were ruling in the green, with the benchmark Japanese index, Nikkei, 1.57 percent higher at 10,903.81 points after consumer goods companies saw renewed buying interest.
The Hang Seng of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange was ruling 0.65 percent higher at 21,890.75 points, while the Chinese Shanghai composite index was up 1.22 percent at 3,211.3 points.
The Korean Kospi was trading at 1,680.37, up 0.54 percent.