Mumbai, Nov 26 (IANS): A benchmark index for Indian equities markets Monday was up 32 points following healthy buying spree in metal, consumer durable, capital goods, information technology (IT) and health care stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 18,574.36 points, was ruling at 18,539.16 points around 3.00 p.m., up 32.59 points or 0.18 percent from its previous close at 18,506.57 points.

The benchmark index touched a high of 18,590.33 points and low of 18,508.79 points intra-day. The BSE midcap index was up 69.52 points, the smallcap index was higher by 65.38 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was up 10.55 points or 0.19 percent at 5,637.15 points.

There was healthy buying in metal, consumer durable, capital goods, information technology (IT) and health care stocks.

The metal index was up 113.02 points, while the consumer durables index edged higher by 107.52 points, followed by capital goods index, up 84.28 points, IT index, up 65.09 points, and healthcare index, up 61.36 points.

However, the public sector undertaking (PSU) index was down 37.49 points, while the bank index was trading lower by 23.74 points, followed by oil and natural gas index, down 22.97 points, and automobile index, down 21.13 points.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei rose 1.56 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.79 percent. China's Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.58 percent.