Mumbai, Feb 5 (IANS): A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Wednesday closed 49 points or 0.24 percent up, recouping earlier losses.

Good buying was seen in auto, metal and IT sectors, while selling pressure was observed in fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) scrips.

The 30-scrip S&P Sensex of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 20,241.12 points, closed at 20,261.03 points, up 49.10 points or 0.24 percent from its previous day close at 20,211.93 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 20,289.33 points and a low of 20,076.10 points intra-day.

The S&P BSE auto index went up by 186.47 points, metal index gained 141.59 points and IT index augmented by 87.30 points. However, FMCG index slipped by 58.60 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) closed trade flat at 21.50 points or 0.36 percent up at 6,022.40 points.

The major Sensex gainers were: Tata Steel, up 4.69 percent at Rs.359.25; Tata Motors, up 2.86 points at Rs.355.80; Mahindra & Mahindra, up 2.51 percent at Rs.875.75; and Coal India, up 2.37 percent at Rs.255.10.

The losers were: ITC, down 1.86 percent at Rs.318.95; and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, down 1.71 percent at 160.60 points.

Among the Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 1.23 percent up; while China's Shanghai Composite Index was lower by 0.82 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down by 0.60 percent.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 was trading 0.36 percent up and the French CAC 40 Index was up by 0.07 percent, while Germany's DAX Index was down by 0.09 percent.

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