Mumbai, March 23 (IANS) A benchmark index of Indian equities markets rose 218 points Wednesday, led by good buying support in banking, realty and metal stocks.

The 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened marginally down at 17,972.04 points, ended at 18,206.16 points, up 1.21 percent or 217.86 points from the previous close of 17,988.30 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 18,218.28 points and a low of 17,950.17 points in the intra-day trade.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty closed 1.23 percent or 66.40 points higher at 5,480.25 points.

Of the broader markets, the BSE midcap advanced 0.92 percent at 6,603.80 points and the BSE smallcap closed 0.65 percent higher at 7,868.13 points.

All the sectoral indices also closed in the positive, with realty and banking indexes advancing nearly two percent.

At the BSE, the realty index climbed 1.92 percent at 2,118.77 points and the bankex closed 1.85 percent higher at 12,463.22 points. Healthcare and metal indices gained almost one-and-a-half percent.

Major gainers on the Sensex were: Cipla, up 4.13 percent at Rs.304.15; ICICI Bank, up 3.76 percent at Rs.1,041.05; Jaiprakash Associates, up 3.48 percent at Rs.87.65; DLF, up 2.78 percent at Rs.234.45; and BHEL, up 2.43 percent at Rs.1,994.40.

There was some selling pressure in auto stocks after the Delhi government announced a hike in the registration fee for diesel vehicles. Mahindra and Mahindra slumped 1.02 percent at Rs.645.75.

Jindal Steel, down 0.64 percent at Rs.656.15; TCS, down 0.45 percent at Rs.1,064.10; and Bajaj Auto, down 0.20 percent at Rs.1359.05 were the other Sensex losers.

Other Asian markets were mixed. After gaining 4.36 percent on the previous session, the Japanese Nikkei average retreated 1.65 percent at 9,449.47 points. Japanese market is stabilising as the country makes progress in averting a nuclear meltdown following the devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.14 percent at 22,825.40 points. However, China's Shanghai Composite advanced 1 percent at 2,948.48 points.

Most European markets opened in the positive. Around mid-day, the French CAC 40 was trading 0.51 percent higher.

Britain's FTSE 100 was ruling 0.59 percent up and the German DAX was trading 0.29 percent higher.