Mumbai, Oct 25 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets was trading 51.34 points down around 11.30 a.m. trade Thursday as metals, oil and gas, auto and banks stocks rose.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 18,712.41 points, was ruling at 18,761.36 points, 51.34 points or 0.27 percent up from its previous day's close at 18,710.02 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 18,773.26 points and a low of 18,699.07 in intra-day trade.

The BSE midcap index was marginally up 1.81 points while the smallcap index was up 19.77 points.

On the sectoral front, the BSE metals index was up 58.26 points followed by oil and gas index, up 56.96 points, auto index, up 30.97 points, and the Bank index, up 24.16 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was up by 11.80 points or 0.21 percent at 5,703.20 points.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei was up 1.04 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng was trading 0.07 percent lower. Shanghai's Composite Index was down 0.43 points.