Mumbai, Aug 21 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets was up Tuesday, trading 97 points higher in afternoon trade.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,705.14 points, was ruling at 17,788.71 points, 0.55 percent or 97.63 points up from its previous day's close at 17,691.08 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 17,815.76 points and a low of 17,705.14 points in intra-day trade.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was ruling 0.53 percent at 5,394.59 points.

The BSE IT index was up 91.74 points.

The major Sensex gainers were HDFC, up 2.42 percent at Rs.729.35; Infosys, up 2.07 percent at Rs.2,400; Cipla, up 2 percent at Rs.361.95; Tata Motors, up 1.95 percent at Rs.245.15; and Mahindra and Mahindra, up 1.47 percent at Rs.778.40.

The main Sensex losers were Hindalco Inds down 2.94 percent at Rs.110.60; Tata Steel, down 1.47 percent at Rs.389; Hero MotoCorp, down 1.33 percent at Rs.1,904.40; HDFC Bank, down 0.87 percent at Rs.590; and Coal India, down 0.71 percent at Rs.347.95.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei was down 0.16 percent while Shanghai's composite index was 0.54 percent up. Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down 0.07 percent.