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The broader markets continued to underperform with the midcap index up 0.6% and the smallcap index adding 0.4%.
FMCG stocks retained their gains with HUL up over 15% and ITC gained nearly 2%.
From the Oil&Gas space, ONGC down 1.6% and Reliance Industries losing 0.3% were the major losers.
All the major auto names were in the red. Mahindra & Mahindra, Hero MotoCorp, Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors were down 0.1-0.5%
Among other stocks, Bank of Maharashtra rallied 7% to Rs 60.30, extending its previous day’s 13% surge, after reporting over three-fold jump in its net profit at Rs 259 crore for the quarter ended March 2013.
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(Updated at 0919hrs)
Markets opened on a strong note in today's trade with the benchmark indices gaining 1% each in the opening trades. The Sensex opened up 220 points at 19608 and the Nifty gained 50 points to open above the 5,900 levels at around 5,954.
The initial gains were on account of positive global cues coupled with the strength in FMCG names like Hindustan Unilever and ITC after Unilever Plc, the parent of Hindustan Unilever said it would make an open offer for an additional 22.52% stake in the company at Rs 600 per share.
In the broader markets, the mid and smallcap indices gained 0.4-0.5%, underperforming the BSE benchmark index.
Overnight, S&P 500 index ended at an all-time high on Monday as growth-oriented stocks, including energy and technology, lead the way to the index's sixth rise in the past seven sessions. The index was up 0.72%, at 1,593.
The Dow Jones industrial average was up 0.72%, at 14,819 and the Nasdaq Composite Index was up 0.85%, at 3,307.
Asian shares edged higher as hopes for political stability in Italy and expectations for global central banks to continue their growth-supporting monetary stimulus bolstered investor risk appetite.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan inched up 0.3%, with Australian shares.
Japan's Nikkei stock average was down 0.4%, following weak earnings guidance as the Japanese markets resuming trading after a holiday on Monday.
Back home, Among the sectoral indices, FMCG index was the top gainer, up nearly 5%. Realty, Health Care and Metal indices up 0.6-0.9% were the other notable gainers.
However, Auto and Oil & Gas indices started in the red, losing 0.04-0.08%.
Apart HUL, the top gainers among the Sensex-30 were Sterlite which was up 2.5% after reporting a strong set of numbers for the quarter ended March 2013.
Sun Pharma, ITC and Gail India up 1-1.6% were the other notable gainers.
ONGC, Bharti Airtel, HDFC Bank, Hero MotoCorp, Hindalco, BHEL and Bajaj Auto down 0.4-0.6% were the major losers in the morning trades.
The market breadth was positive. 739 stocks advanced while 354 stocks declined on the BSE.
