Mumbai, Sep 30 (IANS) A key index of Indian equities markets extended its gains Wednesday and was ruling 1.38 percent higher than its previous close in the afternoon.
Around 2.05 p.m., the 30-scrip benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange Sensex, which had crossed the 17,000-mark earlier, was ruling at 17,085.48 points, up 232.57 points or 1.38 percent.

The S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) too was in the positive terrain at 5,067.85 points, up 1.22 percent.

Broader market indices were also in the green, with the BSE midcap index ruling 0.61 percent higher and the BSE smallcap index up 0.95 percent.

The market breadth was positive, with 1,540 stocks advancing, 1,135 declining and 86 remaining unchanged.

Asian markets were a mixed bag.

The Nikkei, a key index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, closed 33.03 points or 0.33 percent higher at 10,133.23 points.

The primary index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Hang Seng, was down 57.92 points or 0.28 percent at 20,955.25 points.

The Kospi, benchmark index of the Korean Stock Exchange, was ruling in the negative, moving down 16.91 points or 1 percent at 1,673.14 points.

However, at the Shanghai Stock Exchange, the benchmark SSE Composite ended 0.9 percent down at 2,779.43 points.