Mumbai, March 10 (IANS) A benchmark index for Indian equities Wednesday made a steady start and was ruling 60 points higher, about 25 minutes after the opening bell.

At 9.24 a.m. the 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,072.94 points, was ruling at 17,112.55 points, 60.01 points or 0.35 percent higher than its previous close at 17,052.54 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was ruling at 5,117.35 points against the previous close at 5,101.5 points, a gain of 0.31 percent.

Broader markets also saw gains with the BSE midcap index ruling 0.4 percent higher and the BSE small cap index 0.46 percent up.