(Updates for market open)

July 30 (Reuters) - India's equity benchmarks opened

higher on Wednesday, boosted by stronger-than-expected earnings

from infrastructure major Larsen & Toubro.

The Nifty 50 rose 0.28% to 24,890.4 points and the

BSE Sensex gained 0.32% to 81,594.52 as of 9:15 a.m.

IST.

Fourteen of the 16 major sectors advanced at open. The

broader mid-caps and smallp-caps

added 0.2% each.

Larsen & Toubro climbed 3.8%, and was the biggest

percentage gainer on Nifty 50, after it beat quarterly profit

estimates on Tuesday, boosted by rising overseas contracts.

Meanwhile, investors are expected to remain cautious ahead

of the Federal Reserve's policy decision later in the day and

over concerns surrounding a potential India-U.S. trade deal.