Mumbai, Jan 21 (IANS): A benchmark index for Indian equities markets was trading 41 points higher in in afternoon trade Monday, as oil and gas, capital goods and healthcare stocks rallied.

The BSE Sensex, which opened at 20,132.83 points, was at 20,080.91 points around 1 p.m. - up 41.87 points or 0.21 percent from its previous close at 20,039.04 points.

The BSE Sensex touched an intra-day high of 20,163.38 points and a low of 20,063.29 points.

The BSE midcap index was down 8.73 points, while the smallcap index was higher by 7.50 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was trading up 4.65 points or 0.08 percent at 6,069.05 points.

Major indices like oil and gas index was higher by 147.07 points, followed by capital goods index which was up 107.33 points. The fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) index was up 58.50 points.

In terms of losers, bank index was down 65.42 points, while the automobile index was down 54.11 points and healthcare index was lower by 30.04 points.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei was down 1.52 percent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng was lower by 0.07 percent and China's Shanghai Composite Index was higher by 0.48 percent.