Mumbai, Jan 12 (Inditop.com) A benchmark index of the Indian equities markets was trading 74 points higher around noon Tuesday, helped by the robust third quarter results of IT giant Infosys.

The sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) opened at 17,534.1 points and was ruling at 17,600.71 points around noon, up 74 points or 0.42 percent from its previous close at 17,526.71 points. Infosys was up 3.94 percent at Rs.2,586.55.

Around the same time, at the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was at 5,267.35 points, against the previous close at 5,249.4 points, a gain of 0.34 percent.

Broader market indices were also in the green, with the BSE midcap index up 0.56 percent and the BSE small cap index ruling 1 percent higher.

The market breadth was positive, with as many as 2,179 stocks advancing, compared to 718 on the decline, and 57 remaining unchanged.

Among the top gainers at this time were Wipro, up 4.58 percent at Rs.692.50; TCS, up 4.17 percent at Rs.744; and RIL, up 1.36 percent at Rs.1,096.30.

Top losers included Sterlite, down 2.96 percent at Rs.877.60; BHEL, down 1.63 percent at Rs.2,361; ICICI Bank, down 1.45 percent at Rs.856.40, and ITC, down 1.45 percent at Rs.252.35.

Other Asian markets were a mixed bag, with the benchmark Japanese index, the Nikkei, ending 0.75 percent higher at 10,879.14 points, while the Hang Seng of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange was ruling 0.45 percent lower at 22,310.83 points.

The Chinese Shanghai composite index was 1.75 percent higher at 3,268.87 points and the Korean Kospi was trading at 1,698.64, up 0.27 percent.