Sensex closes 138 points up; auto stocks gain

A benchmark index of Indian equities markets closed Wednesday's trade (provisional) 138 points or 0.72 percent up. There was good buying in automobile, oil and gas, metal, public sector undertakings (PSU) and consumer durables index stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,299.42 points, closed at 19,367.59 points, up 137.75 points or 0.72 percent from the previous day's close at 19,229.84 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 19,392.56 points and a low of 19,203.63 points in intra-day trade.

The S&P BSE auto index surged 351.20 points, the oil and gas increased by 241.04 points, the metal index moved up by 201.11 points, consumer durable index was up 181.81 points and PSU index went up by 109.28 points.

However, capital goods index was down 62.07 points, followed by IT index, down 29.23 points, healthcare index, down 18.13 points and technology, entertainment and media (TECk) index, down 4.93 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also closed 43 points or 0.75 percent up at 5,742.30 points.