Mumbai, April 1 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets, the 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex), made healthy gains during the late-afternoon trade session on Wednesday. It was trading 147 points or 0.52 percent up as bank and healthcare stocks rose.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also made gains during the late-afternoon trade session. It was trading 47.20 points up or 0.56 percent at 8,538.20 points.

The Sensex of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 27,954.86 points, was trading at 28,104.14 points (2.30 p.m.) in the late-afternoon trade session, up 146.65 points or 0.52 percent over the previous day's close at 27,957.49 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 28,137.57 points and a low of 27,889.02 points in the intra-day trade so far.

Healthy buying was observed in banks, healthcare, automobile, capital goods and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sectors.

The S&P BSE bank index gained 290.87 points, healthcare index rose by 278.42 points, automobile index went up by 110.76 points, capital goods index climbed 96.44 points, and FMCG index increased by 81.80 points.

However, information technology (IT) index was down 154.68 points, followed by technology, entertainment and media (TECK) index which was lower by 45.97 points.