Frontline tech counters draw investors

DALAL STREET SPIKES

Tech stocks were back in the reckoning with frontliners, Infosys, Satyam and Wipro continued to gain in a rather subdued market.

Satyam Computer soared 3.5 per cent to Rs 350.75, followed by Infosys Technologies, up 1.4 per cent at Rs 1,603.75 and Wipro, up 1.3 per cent higher to close at Rs 583.50. TCS stock gained 1.1 per cent to close at Rs 999.75 in Thursday's session.

Market analysts said that tech stocks have been attracting buying interest as the sector is insulated from political developments and recent volatility in crude oil prices.

The gain in frontliners had its effect on the second-rung stocks as well. In Thursday's trading, MphasiS BFL was up 9.61 per cent to Rs 301.25, CMC was up 2.51 per cent to Rs 718.05.

Hughes Software was up 2 per cent to Rs 552.20, VisualSoft was up 4.56 per cent to Rs 136.50 and Hexaware was up 3.68 per cent to Rs 528.15. The BSE IT Sector index ended 31.56 points, or 1.54 per cent higher at 2,081.49.