Mumbai, Aug 7 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets was up for the third straight day Wednesday, trading 120 points higher in the late afternoon trade.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,638.53 points, was ruling at 17,722.60 points, 0.69 percent or 120.82 points up from its previous day's close at 17,601.78 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 17,726.64 points and a low of 17,605.62 points. The BSE midcap was up 26.30 points and the small cap was 14.35 points.

The BSE auto index was up 177.08 points, followed by the metal index, up 179.02 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was 0.51 percent up at 5,363.75 points.

The major Sensex gainers were Mahindra & Mahindra, up 3.99 percent at Rs.723.25; Hindalco Inds, up 3.24 percent at Rs.122.60; Tata Motors, up 2.35 percent at Rs.244.35; Jindal Steel, up 2.25 percent at Rs.415.90; and Sterlite Inds, up 1.77 percent at Rs.106.15.

The main Sensex losers were Bharti Airtel, down 3.35 percent at Rs.283.95; ONGC, down 1.18 percent at Rs.279.45; Gail India, down 1.18 percent at Rs.372.95; ICICI Bank, down 1.03 percent at Rs.963.75; TCS, down 0.78 percent at Rs.1,254.75 and Maruti Suzuki, down 0.41 percent at Rs.1,141.20.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei was up 0.88 percent while Shanghai's composite index was 0.16 percent higher. Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down 0.04 percent.