Mumbai, March 29 (Inditop.com) A benchmark index for Indian equities closed 80 points higher Monday, though buying sentiments remained slack across the market breadth.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,639.18 points, closed at 17,725.31 points (provisional), 80.55 points or 0.46 percent higher than its previous close.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was ruling at 5,308.8 points, a gain of 0.51 percent or 26.8 points from its previous close.

Broader markets were mixed, with the BSE midcap index ending 0.27 percent higher, while the BSE small cap index came under selling pressure, closing 0.54 percent lower.