The Sensex is now quoting at 17,564, up 181 points and the Nifty is at 5,255, up 57 points.
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(Updated at 1025am)
Buying in the metal and the realty stocks have helped the Sensex to extend gains. The index is now at 17,534, up 152 points. The NSE Nifty is 48 points higher at 5,246.
Among the Sensex-30 stocks, Jaiprakash Associates have added 2.5% at Rs 152. Reliance Infrastructure, Tata Steel, DLF, ICICI Bank and Reliance Communications have advanced 1.5% each to Rs 1,008, Rs 637, Rs 317, Rs 944 and Rs 162, respectively.
The other prominent gainers are Sun Pharma, Bharti Airtel, TCS and Larsen & Toubro, up 1% each.
Hindustan Unilever on the other hand has slipped 1% to Rs 224. Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors are down 0.5% each at Rs 1,128 and Rs 783, respectively.
The market breadth is positive, out of 2,378 shares traded, 1,579 have advanced and 716 have declined so far on the BSE.
The BSE midcap and the smallcap indices have advanced 1% each to 6,780 and 8,538, respectively.
Among the sectoral indices, metal and realty indices have added 1.5% each on the BSE.
Jai Corporation is the major gainer on the index, up 4% at Rs 272. NMDC, SAIL and Jindal Saw have added 2.5% each on the Sensex.