<b>Nearing 20K:</b> Sensex up 719pts; L&amp;T up 10%

The Sensex is now up 719 points at 19,962 - just 38 points shy of the 20,000-mark.

Larsen & Toubro has zoomed nearly 10% to Rs 4,258. BHEL has soared 7.5% to Rs 2,615.

ONGC has surged over 7% to Rs 1,240, and HDFC Bank has rallied 6% to Rs 1,640.

Maruti has gained 5% at Rs 1,240. ICICI Bank has moved up 4.3% to Rs 1,236.

Reliance Energy, Grasim, NTPC and Reliance are up around 4% each at Rs 1,739, Rs 3,923, Rs 238 and Rs 2,796, respectively.

Tata Steel, however, is now down 7.5% at Rs 917.

The market breadth is fairly positive - out of 2,674 stocks traded so far, 1,745 have advanced, 866 have declined and 63 are unchanged.