Mumbai, Dec 31 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities Tuesday closed 28 points up with good buying observed in oil and gas and healthcare sectors. Metal scrips, however, came under selling pressure.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 21,177.77 points, closed at 21,170.68 points, up 27.67 points or 0.13 percent from its previous day close at 21,143.01 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 21,230.88 points, and a low of 21,122.68 points during the day.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) closed trade 12.90 points or 0.21 percent up at 6,304 points.

In the day's trade, healthy buying was observed in oil and gas, healthcare, capital goods and bank stocks.

The S&P BSE oil and gas index gained 45.95 points, while the healthcare index increased by 20.88 points, capital goods index rose by 21.10 points and bank index gained 15.81 points.

However, metal and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) scrips fell in the day's trade. The metal index fell by 20.94 points, while the FMCG index lost 3.82 points.

The major Sensex gainers were: Tata Power, up 2.81 percent at Rs.91.35; Wipro, up 1.26 percent at Rs.559.05; Reliance Industries, up 1.06 percent at Rs.894.80; Axis Bank, up 1.00 percent at Rs.1,299.65; and Hindalco Inds, up 0.66 points at Rs.122.50.

The main losers were: BHEL, down 1.62 percent at Rs.176.45; Maruti Suzuki, down 0.78 percent at Rs.1,763; Mahindra and Mahindra, down 0.63 percent at Rs.943.50; HDFC Bank, down 0.58 percent at Rs.665.75; and Infosys, down 0.46 percent at Rs.3,485.50.

Among the Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 0.69 percent up and Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.26 percent, while China's Shanghai Composite Index went down by 0.88 percent.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 was trading 0.28 percent up, Germany's DAX Index was down 0.39 percent and the French CAC 40 Index was up by 0.32 percent.