The BSE benchmark Sensex inched higher after trading in narrow range since early deals as traders roll-over positions ahead of the expiry of June futures and options. At 11:23am, the Sensex was up 30 points at 16,912 after touching a high of 16,921 and the Nifty added 10 points at 5,125.
In the broader markets, the Midcap index gained 0.3% outperforming the Smallcap and the Sensex which edged up 0.1% and 0.2%, respectively.
The rupee today rose by 3 paise to 57.04 against the dollar at the Interbank Foreign Exchange market as the American currency weakened against euro and other currencies overseas.
Asian markets were choppy in today's trade as investors remained cautious ahead of a European leaders summit which many believe will not produce any substantive measures to solve the region's protracted debt crisis, now in its third year. Hang Seng and Jakarta Composite remained flat with a positive bias while Nikkei, Shanghai Composite and Taiwan Weighted lost 0.5-0.7%.
Back home, among the sectoral indices, FMCG, Metal, Consumer Durables and IT were in the negative terrain, losing 0.1-0.5%. On the other hand, Oil & Gas, Power, Bankex, Health Care and Realty indices rose 0.5-0.7%.
The top gainers among the Sensex stocks included Tata Power, Gail India, TCS, ONGC, HDFC Bank and Sun Pharma up 1-2%.
Meanwhile, Hindustan Unilever, Sterlite, Infosys and Tata Steel dropped 1-2%.
Among individual scrips, Reliance Power edged higher by 2% to Rs 101.50, after the company said it has synchronized the first of two units of its 600 MW Butibori Thermal Power Project near Nagpur in Maharashtra.
The market breadth was positive with 1174 stock advances while 951 stocks declined on the BSE.
