Markets in green in early trades

Markets have opened in the green this morning following cues from the Asian markets.

The Sensex opened up 87 points at 17,400. The index is now up 43 points at 17,444.

The Nifty is up 15 points at 5,219.

The US markets ended the session on a mixed note. The Dow closed at 11092, higher by 73 points or 0.6%, Nasdaq ended at 2480, lower by one point and S&P shut shop at 1197, up five points.

The Asian markets have registered gains this morning. Hang Seng is quoting at 21,529, stronger by 124 points or 0.5% and Nikkei is at 10,955, higher by 46 points or 0.4%.

At the same time the market is eyeing RBI's annual monetary policy due later today. There is a genral idea that the central bank will raise interest rates.

PSU stocks have gained as the BSE PSU index has moved up 1% to 8,888. Oil, auto and metal indices are also trading in green. However, the realty index has continued yesterday's weak movement and is now down marginally at 3,452.

Hero Honda has jumped 1.3% to Rs 1,923 after posting their best quarterly results. The company posted a net profit of Rs 598.8 crore in the fourth quarter of 2009-10, its highest to date, as compared to Rs 402.2 crore during the corresponding quarter of 2008-09, growth of 48.9 per cent.

TCS has also gained 1% on goopd Q4 numbers to Rs 820.

NTPC and Tata Steel have added 1% each to Rs 207 and Rs 675, respectively.

The other top gainers are Tata Motors, ONGC, Mahindra & Mahindra and Wipro.

Meanwhile, DLF has slipped to Rs 314. Infosys and Bharti Airtel are margianlly down at Rs 2,734 and Rs 2,675, respectively.