Mumbai, March 11 (IANS) A late rally helped the benchmark index for Indian equities close Thursday 69 points higher than its previous close, with IT, telecom and banking stocks seeing buying interest.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,087.63 points, closed at 17,167.96 points, 69.63 points or 0.41 percent higher than its previous close at 17,098.33 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty shut shop at 5,133.4 points against the previous close of 5,116.25 points, a gain of 17.15 points or 0.34 percent.

Broader markets, however, closed on a subdued note with the BSE midcap index ending 0.15 percent lower and the BSE small cap index closing 0.5 percent down.

The market breadth was negative, with 1,083 stocks advancing, compared to 1,756 scrips on the decline, while 72 remained unchanged.

Among sectors that came under selling pressure were auto, FMCG and PSU.

Among the gainers on the 30-scrip Sensex were Sun Pharma, up 2.97 percent at Rs.1,690.95; Sterlite Industries, up 2.12 percent at Rs.820.70; Bharti Airtel, up 1.98 percent at Rs.293.85; and Wipro, up 1.73 percent at Rs.709.60.

Top losers included Hindustan Unilever, down 4.21 percent at Rs.228.80; Hindalco, down 1.72 percent at Rs.159.95; Reliance Communications, down 1.17 percent at Rs.160.75; and ACC, down 1.08 percent at Rs.999.

According to data available with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), foreign institutional investors bought scrips worth $92.09 million.

Most other Asian markets ended trade on a mixed note.

The benchmark Japanese index, Nikkei, ended 0.96 percent higher at 10,664.95 points, while the South Korean Kospi closed 0.34 percent down at 1,656.62 points.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng shut shop flat at 21,228.2 points. The Chinese Shanghai composite index closed at 3,051.28 points, down 0.08 percent.

European markets too were trading in a slump around closing bell here.

The FTSE 100, the benchmark index of the London Stock Exchange, was ruling at 5,628.63 points, down 0.21 percent, while its German peer, DAX, was trading flat at 5,938.6 points, up 0.03 percent.

The French CAC 40 index was also in the red at 3,933.71, down 0.25 percent.