Mumbai, March 12 (IANS) A benchmark index for Indian equities Friday opened in the green and was ruling about 66 points higher than its previous close, about half an hour into trade.

At 9.30 a.m. the 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,176.02, points, was ruling at 17,233.74 points, 65.78 points or 0.38 percent higher than its previous close at 17,167.96 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was ruling at 5,155.5 points against the previous close at 5,133.4 points, a gain of 0.43 percent.

Broader markets were also in the green with the BSE midcap index up 0.52 percent and the BSE small cap index ruling 0.7 percent higher.