Mumbai, March 8 (IANS) A benchmark index for Indian equities closed 108 points higher Monday, shedding some of its intra-day gains.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,034.92 points, closed at 17,102.6 points - 108.11 points or 0.64 percent higher than its previous close at 16,994.49 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was ruling at 5,124 points against the previous close at 5,088.7 points, a gain of 0.69 percent or 35.3 points.

Broader markets also saw gains with the BSE midcap index closing 0.71 percent higher and the BSE small cap index 1.09 percent up.

Auto and banking stocks generated buying interest, while realty stocks came under selling pressure.

The market breadth was positive, with 1,761 stocks advancing, compared to 1,097 scrips on the decline, while 88 remained unchanged.

Among the gainers on the 30-scrip Sensex were M&M, up 4.33 percent at Rs.1,122.40; Hero Honda, up 3.09 percent at Rs.1,913.45; ITC, up 2.43 percent at Rs.250.50; and ICICI Bank, up 2.32 percent at Rs.922.75.

Top losers included Bharti Airtel, down 2.13 percent at Rs.292.20; Hindustan Unilever, down 1.59 percent at Rs.238.80; Reliance Infra, down 1.52 percent at Rs.1,019.25; and Hindalco, down 1.1 percent at Rs.166.30.

According to data available with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), foreign institutional investors bought scrips worth $410.46 million.

Most other Asian markets did better than their Indian peers.

The benchmark Japanese index, Nikkei, ended 2.09 percent higher at 10,585.92 points, while the South Korean Kospi moved up 1.56 percent at 1,660.04 points.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed in the green too at 21,196.87 points, up 1.97 percent, while the Chinese Shanghai composite index gained 0.73 percent at 3,053.23 points.

European markets were slack around closing bell here.

The FTSE 100, the benchmark index of the London Stock Exchange, was ruling 0.28 percent lower at 5,584.17 points, while its German peer DAX was trading flat at 5,873.38 points, down 0.07 percent.

The French CAC 40 index was also in a slump at 3,906.92, down 0.09 percent.