Mumbai: Sensex closed 129 points higher on Thursday, with auto companies leading the gains, on growing optimism about December quarter earnings and the long-term prospects of the economy. The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) opened at 17,265.47 points and ended at 17,360.61 points up 129.50 points or 0.75 percent from its previous close at 17,231.11 points. The National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty closed in the green at 5,178.40 points, against the previous close at 5,144.6 points, a gain of 0.66 percent. The chart showing the 52 week performance of Sensex is on the left. Broader market indices also closed in the green, with the BSE midcap index ending 0.64 percent up and the BSE small cap index 0.46 percent higher. On the sectoral front, the BSE auto index rose 1.5 percent and the metal index was up 1.4 percent.In the auto pack, Tata Motors rose 4.4 percent and Escorts advanced 3.6 percent. In the metal space, Gujarat NRE Coke surged 5.8 percent and Hindustan Zinc gained four percent. Hindalco, Sesa Goa and Tata Steel were up over two percent each. Among the Sensex stocks, Tata Motors was the top gainer. The stock closed up 4.4 percent at 779. Hindalco jumped three percent and Reliance Infra gained 2.9 percent. Bharti Airtel and JP Associates, however, were the biggest losers, down over 1.5 percent each. In the Nifty pack, Tata Motors, Hindalco, Reliance Infra and M&M were among the major gainers. Markets in Asia finished higher on Thursday. China's Shanghai Composite gained 2.6 percent and Japan's Nikkei advanced 1.5 percent. Hang Seng in Hong Kong also ended up 0.9 percent.