Mumbai, Aug 21 - A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Tuesday closed 194 points higher.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,705.14 points, closed at 17,885.26 points, 1.10 percent or 194.18 points up from its previous day's close at 17,691.08 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 17,898.35 points and a low of 17,705.14 points in intra-day trade.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange closed 1.02 percent up at 5,421 points.

The BSE IT index was up 98.55 points followed by power index up 31.93 points.

The major Sensex gainers were Sterlite Inds, up 4.46 percent at Rs.113.70; NTPC, up 3.12 percent at Rs.173.50; HDFC, up 2.92 percent at Rs.732.90; Gail India, up 2.58 percent at Rs.369.85; and Tata Power, up 2.52 percent at Rs.99.80

The main Sensex losers were Hindalco Inds down 1.45 percent at Rs.112.30; Bharti Airtel, down 1.32 percent at Rs.258.65; Dr Reddys Lab, down 0.66 percent at Rs.1,659; Tata Steel, down 0.66 percent at Rs.392.20; and Hero MotoCorp, down 0.59 percent at Rs.1,918.80.