Profit-booking halts rally, Sensex drops 15pts

Backed by impressive Q3 numbers by TCS, the Sensex opened marginally (16 points) higher at 14,146.  Smart gains in technology shares saw the index flare up to a new all-time intra-day high of 14,211.

Profit-booking in select heavyweights - HDFC, Reliance and HLL - saw the index pare gains soon, and slip into negative zone.

The index moved in a narrow range of 30-odd points for most of the trading session today. Some selling towards the end saw the index slip to a low of 14,071 - down 140 points from the day's high. The Sensex finally settled with a marginal loss of 15 points at 14,115.

The market breadth was almost neutral - out of 2,674 stocks traded, 1,300 advanced, 1,325 declined and 49 were unchanged today.

INDEX MOVERS & SHAKERS

HDFC shed 2.5% to Rs 1,555. Hindalco and Reliance slipped around 1.5% each to Rs 170 and Rs 1,347, respectively.

Infosys, Hero Honda and SBI declined over 1% each to Rs 2,217, Rs 726 and Rs 1,209, respectively.

BHEL gained over 1.5% to Rs 2,259.

ACC, Wipro, Larsen & Toubro and Bharti Airtel were up around 1.5% each at Rs 1,101, Rs 637, Rs 1,520 and Rs 670, respectively.

Tata Motors and Satyam advanced 1% each to Rs 958 and Rs 506, respectively.

VALUE & VOLUME TOPPERS

IFCI topped the value chart with a turnover of Rs 103.53 crore followed by Tech Mahindra (Rs 100.85 crore), Reliance Natural Resources (Rs 96 crore), Debutant Lumax Auto (Rs 74 crore) and TCS (Rs 67 crore).

IFCI led the volume chart with trades of around 4.16 crore shares followed by Reliance Natural Resources (3.60 crore), Harig Cranks (1.10 crore), Bellary Steel (99.40 lakh) and Aftek (88.80 lakh).