Mumbai, Apr 11 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets was trading higher by half a percent Thursday around 11.30 a.m, as banking, information technology (IT) and automobile stocks rallied.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 18,577.52 points, was trading at 18,508.50 points at 11.30 a.m., up 94.05 points or 0.51 percent from its previous day's close at 18,414.45 points.

The Sensex in the intra-day trade had touched a high of 18,595.12 points and slumped to a low of 18,469.83 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was trading 0.29 percent or 16.15 points down at 5,574.85 points in the 11.30 am trading session.
The BSE bank index was up 156.41 points, followed by the IT index was up 111.10 points and automobile index, higher by 84.72 points.

However, the oil and gas index was down 63.68 points, while the power index was lower by 6.77 points and the public sector undertakings (PSU) index went down 6.57 points.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei was trading up 1.67 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng was higher by 0.85 percent. However, China's Shanghai Composite Index was lower by 0.11 percent.