Mumbai, Sep 2 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets closed 266.41 points or 1.43 percent up Monday on global cues.

All the sectors were trading in green. The rally was led by metal, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), oil and gas and consumer durables sectors.

The 30-scrip S&P Sensex of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 18,691.83 points, closed at 18,886.13 points, up 266.41 points or 1.43 percent from its previous day's close at 18,619.72 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 18,942.06 points and a low of 18,678.93 points intra-day.

The S&P BSE metal index gained 246.19 points, FMCG index went up by 196.35 points, oil and gas index increased by 207.74 points and consumer durables index moved up by 99.11 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) closed trade at 78.95 points or 1.44 percent up at 5,550.75 points.

The major Sensex gainers were Tata Steel, up 5.54 percent at Rs.289.45; Maruti Suzuki, up 4.45 percent at Rs.1,299.45 points; Reliance Industries Limited, up 3.78 percent at Rs.883.75; and Hindalco Industries, up 3.77 percent at Rs.108.85.

The main losers were Mahindra & Mahindra, down 1.86 percent at Rs.766.50 and Tata Power, down 1.78 percent at Rs.74.45.

Among the Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 1.37 percent up; China's Shanghai Composite Index went up by 0.01 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up by 2.04 percent.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 was trading 1.85 percent up, Germany's DAX Index was up 2.01 percent and the French CAC 40 Index was up by 2.04 percent.