The Sensex has shrugged off the poor IIP numbers, and rallied smartly to a high of 11,831 on the back of significant gains in IT stocks. The index is now up 139 points at 11,822.
Wipro has soared 4.5% to Rs 365. Infosys has surged 3.8% to Rs 1,572.
HDFC Bank has rallied 3% to Rs 1,179. Hindalco, Bharti Airtel, Mahindra & Mahindra and ICICI Bank have moved up around 2.5% each to Rs 69, Rs 767, Rs 515 and Rs 537, respectively.
Reliance Communications has advanced nearly 2% to Rs 223.
Tata Steel, however, has plunged 3% to Rs 264.
Larsen & Toubro has slipped nearly 2% to Rs 945, and ACC has declined nearly 1.5% to Rs 585.
The market breadth is marginally negative - out of 2,299 stocks traded so far, 1,211 have declined, and 1,004 have advanced.