Mumbai, July 18 (IANS) A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Wednesday closed 79 points up, led by good buying in metal, capital goods and realty stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,113.37 points, closed at 17,185.01 points, up (provisional) 0.47 percent or 79.71 points from its previous day's close at 17,105.30 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange closed 0.45 percent higher at 5,216.30 points.

The major Sensex gainers were Bajaj Auto, up 5.20 percent at Rs.1,522.35; Tata Power, up 2.71 percent at Rs.98.40; Jindal Steel, up 2.67 percent at Rs.426.55; Sterlite Inds, up 2.43 percent at Rs.103.35 and Maruti Suzuki, up 2.31 percent at Rs.1,224.30.

The losers were Tata Motors, down 1.93 percent at Rs.221.55; Dr Reddys Lab, down 1.85 percent at Rs.1,672; NTPC, down 0.79 percent at Rs.157; SBI, down 0.59 percent at Rs.2,185.95 and Cipla, down 0.56 percent at Rs.329.70.