Mumbai, Feb 3 (Inditop.com) A benchmark index for Indian equities extended its gains during afternoon trade Wednesday and was ruling 386 points higher than its previous close.

Around 1.27 p.m., the 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 16,210.25 points, was trading at 16,549.68 points, up 386.9 points or 2.39 percent over its previous close at 16,163.44 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was at 4,948.75 points against the previous close at 4,830.1 points, a gain of 2.46 percent or 118.65 points.

Broader market indices were also trading higher, with the BSE midcap index up 1.68 percent and the BSE small cap index trading 1.44 percent higher.

All 30 scrips on the Sensex were in the green, with RIL, L&T and ICICI providing much of the impetus to its rally.