Banking stocks in limelight

The Sensex has inched below the 6,600-mark, but the sentiment remains optimistic amid sustained buying, notably, in old economy stocks. It is now up 53 points 6,598. The Nifty is firm at 2,070 - up 15 points.

SBI has shot up 2.20% (Rs 14) to Rs 649. HDFC Bank has upped its gains by 2.76% (Rs 16) to Rs 586, and ICICI Bank is steady at Rs 367 - up Rs 4.

HPCL has advanced 3.76% (Rs 13) to Rs 370, and BHEL has added 1.95% (Rs 15) to Rs 799. ONGC is up a per cent (Rs 6) at Rs 825.

L&T has flared up 2.78% (Rs 27) to Rs 995. While Tisco has gained 1.54% (Rs 6) to Rs 402, Tata Power is up Rs 2 at Rs 396. Zee has added 2% to Rs 155.

Reliance (up Rs 5 to Rs 538) is trading on a steady note. ITC and HLL are still trading with a per cent gain each at Rs 1,331 and Rs 162, respectively.

Maruti has spurted 4.53% (Rs 21) to Rs 488. Other auto counters are trading with steady gains.

Bharti (down Rs 5 or 2.30% to Rs 210), however, is still exhibiting weakness.

Consumer durables stocks have logged strong gains, and the BSE CG indices has shot up 7.41% (up 111 pts) to 1,615 so far.

Titan Industries has hit the 20% upper limit of the circuit breaker at Rs 225. While Whirpool has surged 9.40% to Rs 21, BPL has jumped 4.46% to Rs 41. Videocon, Samtel Color, Su-raj Diamond and Blue Star are up 1-3%.

Metal and Capital goods stocks have firmed up on strong buying support. Tata Sponge Iron has vaulted 20% (Rs 35) to Rs 210, while Kalyani Steel has zoomed 14.51% (Rs 15) to Rs 116. Navbharat Ferous, Essar Steel, Sun Iron Steel, Ispat and Jisco have gained between 3-6%.

HEG has spurted neary 12% (Rs 12) to Rs 117, and Alstom has gained 7.41% to Rs 84. Astra Micro and Praj Industries have mopped up 5% each at Rs 811 and Rs 341, respectively.

Other counters, too, have edged higher in mid-noon trades.

Finolex has soared 12.24% (Rs 8) to Rs 71, Ramco System has notched up 10.32% gains (Rs 40) to Rs 429. Orchid Chemicals, Maharashtra Seamless, Crompton Greaves, Tamilnadu Newsprint and Papers, FDC and Apollo Tyre have moved up in a range of 5-8%.