Sensex ends up 202pts

The Sensex ended (provisional) at 18,613 - up 202 points. Nifty ended up 66 points at 5,592.
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(Updated at 1436 hrs)

Markets continued to trade in the green, albeit off the day's highs. The Sensex after touching a high of 18,584 on positive cues from Asian peers, pared around 80 points. The index is now up 100 points at 18,514. Nifty is up 35 points at 5,561.

Asian markets moved up in trades after foreign players covered short positions after steep losses a day ago. Nikkei was up 0.4% on gains in brokerage shares. Hang Seng and Shanghai Composite added 1.5% each. European markets were in the green as well.

The broader markets have gained in-line with the benchmark. BSE mid-cap index is up 1% at 6,961 while small-cap index has gained 0.8% at 8,325.

BSE consumer durables, oil & gas and auto indices are up in trades today. The indices have moved up iover 1% each. Meanwhile, IT is showing weakness and is down 0.5% at 5,900.

Among other sectors, sugar and tea stocks are witnessing fresh buying with the likes of Bajaj Hindusthan, Balrampur Chini, Shree Renuka Sugars and Dwarikesh Sugars up 2-5% each. Tata Global, McLeod Russel, Assam Company, Bombay Burmah and Assam Tea are some of the tea stocks which are trading with notable gains.

Bank stocks gained on bargain hunting following a decline in the last few days owing to fears about the spread of Europe's debt crisis.

IT giant Infosys is down 0.5% at Rs 2,780 after reporting Q1 numbers on Tuesday. Other IT Heavyweight, TCS is set to announce numbers tomorrow, along with auto major, Bajaj Auto. TCS is down 0.6% at Rs 1,140. Bajaj Auto has managed to gain 1.5% at 1,446.