Mumbai, Jul 24 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets closed 43 points higher in choppy trade Tuesday. FMCG, consumer durables, and oil and gas stocks were the major gainers.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 16,907.74 points, closed at 16,921.06 points (provisional), 0.26 percent or 43.71 points up from its previous day's close at 16,877.35 points.

The BSE FMCG index was up 96.90 points, followed by the consumer durables index, up 78.65 points, and oil and gas index, up 58.71 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange closed 0.21 percent up at 5,128.80 points.

Hindustan Unilever was the biggest Sensex gainer and closed 7.60 percent up at Rs.476.50.

The other major Sensex gainers were Sterlite Inds, up 2.81 percent at Rs.102.35; Maruti Suzuki, up 2.03 percent at Rs.1,101.85; Bharti Airtel, up 1.37 percent at Rs.308; and Gail India, up 1.15 percent at Rs.342.25.

The main losers were Wipro, down 3.07 percent at Rs.345.50; Larsen and Toubro, down 1.50 percent at Rs.1,353.90; Sun Pharma, down 1.50 percent at Rs.607.50; BHEL, down 1.05 percent at Rs.217.50; Mahindra and Mahindra, down 0.82 percent at Rs.687.