Mumbai, July 30 (IANS):  Buoyed by a good set of corporate earnings, a key index of the Indian equities markets Thursday closed 214 points higher than its last closing figure.

The futures and options contract for July expired Thursday prompting investors to square off their positions.

The 30-scrip benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the Sensex, which opened lower at 15,169.23 points, shut shop at 15,387.96 points - 214.5 points or 1.41 percent higher than Wednesday's closing figure.

Similarly, the S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) closed in the positive terrain, 1.28 percent up at 4,571.45 points.

Broader market indices also ended in the green with the BSE midcap index ending 0.54 percent higher and the BSE smallcap index moving up 0.8 percent.

Total traded turnover stood around Rs.124,000 crore. The rally was led by IT, FMCG and banking stocks, while some selling was seen in energy and power stocks.

The market breadth was positive with 1,503 stocks advancing, 1,170 declining and 85 remaining unchanged.

Among the gainers on the Sensex were TCS, up 6.04 percent at Rs.530; Hindustan Unilever, up 5.15 percent at Rs.281.85; Wipro, up 4.68 percent at Rs.488.55 and HDFC, up 4.31 percent at Rs.2,464.75.

Among the losers on the Sensex were Sun Pharma, down 3.62 percent at Rs.1,145.25; BHEL, down 1.59 percent at Rs.2,202.70; Reliance Industries, down 1.37 percent at Rs.1,899.90 and Hindalco, down 0.74 percent at Rs.93.95.

Data with the market watchdog, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), showed that foreign funds were net buyers, lapping up scrips worth $28.7 million Thursday.

In other Asian markets, the Nikkei 225 Stock Average, a key index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, inched up with auto majors Honda and Nissan coming up with quarterly profits. It ended trade at 10,165.2 points, up 51.97 points.

The Hang Seng, the primary index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, too ended in the red at 20,234.08 points, down 98.58 points.

Key European indices opened higher and were ruling in the green with the FTSE of Britain was ruling at 4,605.91 points, up 58.38 points as mining and energy companies posted positive quarterly results.

The French index, CAC 40, was at 3,402.23 points, 36.61 points higher than its previous close, and its German peer DAX, too, was trading in the green at 5,300.5, up 30.18 points.

Futures of key US market indices were ruling higher pointing to a strong opening of the main indices Thursday.