Mumbai, Feb 6 (IANS): A benchmark index of the Indian equities markets rose 50 points Thursday, closing in the positive for the third straight session, led by good buying support in FMCG, auto, consumer durables and metal stocks.

The 30-scrip S&P Sensex of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened in the positive at 20,286.09 points, ended the day at 20,310.74 points, up 0.25 percent or 49.71 points from its previous day close at 20,261.03 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 20,358.19 points and low of 20,079.82 points in the intra-day.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) closed 0.23 percent or 13.90 points higher at 6,036.30 points.

There was good buying support in FMCG, consumer durables, metal and auto stocks.

Coal India climbed 4.59 percent to Rs.266.80. It was the biggest gainer among the 30 Sensex scrips.

Tata Power rose 3.22 percent to Rs.75.25 and ITC jumped 1.77 percent to Rs.324.60.

Hindustan Unilever, 2.90 percent higher at Rs.586.55; Mahindra & Mahindra, 2.43 percent higher at Rs.897.00; Maruti Suzuki, 2.05 percent higher at Rs.1639.60; ITC, up 1.77 percent at Rs.324.60; and HDFC Bank, up 1.59 percent at Rs.647.35 were among the prominent Sensex gainers.

Major Sensex losers were: BHEL, down 2.43 percent at Rs.156.70; Axis Bank, down 1.64 percent at Rs.1102.85; Cipla, down 1.23 percent at Rs.410.10; and SBI down 1.11 percent at Rs.1504.25.

Among the BSE's sectoral indices, FMCG was the biggest gainer with a jump of 1.36 percent. Consumer durables index rose 1 percent. Metal index gained 0.92 percent and auto index advanced 0.85 percent.

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