Mumbai, July 5 (IANS) A benchmark index of Indian equities markets closed 75 points higher Thursday with robust buying in FMCG, banking and capital goods.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,478.16 points, closed at 17,538.67 points, up 0.43 percent or 75.86 points from its previous close at 17,462.81 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange ended 0.47 percent higher at 5,327.30 points.

The BSE FMCG index was up 49.74 points, while the banking and capital goods index were up 122.74 and 88.80 points respectively.

Major Sensex gainers were Cipla, up 2.67 percent at Rs.324.45; ICICI Bank, up 2.04 percent at Rs.920.90; Tata Motors, up 1.61 percent at Rs.240; ITC, up 1.58 percent at Rs.250.05; and Maruti Suzuki, up 1.55 percent at Rs.1,240.70.

The main losers were ONGC, down 2.02 percent at Rs.278.90; Bajaj Auto, down 1.78 percent at Rs.1,555.30; Coal India, down 1.37 percent at Rs.348.95; Sterlite Inds, down 1.04 at Rs.109.75; and Bharti Airtel, down 0.78 percent at Rs.323.95.

In the Asian region, the Japan's Nikkei closed down 0.27 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.50 percent and China's Composite index fell 1.17 percent.

At closing bell here, trading was mixed in European markets. France's CAC was trading flat, while Germany's DAX and Britain's FTSE 100 were trading 0.59 percent and 0.28 percent up respectively.