Markets firm; metal, realty stocks surge

The Sensex has advanced further on the back of strength in the metal and the realty stocks. The index is now at 16,806, up 140 points and the NSE Nifty is 39 points higher at 5,041.

Among the Sensex-30 stocks, Jindal Steel and Sterlite Industries have advanced 4% each to Rs 649 and Rs 669, respectively.

Hindalco Industries, Reliance Communications, DLF, Mahindra & Mahindra and ITC, up 2% each on the BSE.

The other major gainers are Jaiprakash Associates, Tata Steel, Tata Motors and Tata Power, up 1-2% each on the BSE.

On the other hand Maruti and Reliance Infrastructure have declined 1% each to Rs 1,222 and 1,050, respectively.

The market breadth is positive, out of 2,722 shares traded, 1,884 have advanced and 751 have declined so far on the BSE.

The BSE midcap and the smallcap indices are up 1.5% each at 6,744 and 8,493, respectively on the BSE.

Pipavav Shipyard and Pantaloon Retail have advanced 7-11% on the midcap index.

Sakthi Sugars and Ratnamani Metals have zoomed 11% each on the smallcap index.

All the sectoral indices are in green, metal and realty indices have advanced 3% each on the BSE.

Sesa Goa and Sterlite Industries are the top gainers on the metal index, up 4-8%, respectively on the metal index.