Sensex ends above 8,100

The Sensex opened with a positive gap of 13 points at 8,073, which also turned out to be the low for the day. The index was firmly above 8,100 for most part of the trading session. After hitting a high of 8,143 in late noon deals, the Sensex closed on a bullish note at 8,138 - a gain of 0.97% (78 points).

All the sectoral indices also closed on a firm note. The BSE Oil & Gas Index gained 1.6% (58 points) to 3,786. The BSE FMCG Index was up 1.6% (23 points) at 1,441. The BSE SmallCap Index added 1.25% (75 points) to 6,113.

Out of 2,666 scrips traded, 1,521 advanced, 1,100 declined and 45 were unchanged today.

ITC advanced over 2% (Rs 39) to Rs 1,871. HLL was also up over 2% (Rs 4) at Rs 169. ONGC gained Rs 14 to Rs 1,007. Reliance was up 1.6% (Rs 12) at Rs 753, and SBI added Rs 13 to Rs 868.

TCS moved up 2.5% (Rs 35) to Rs 1,427. Infosys was up Rs 7 at Rs 2,426. Satyam and Wipro also finished with gains.

Bajaj was firm right through the session, and moved up 2.4% (Rs 37) to Rs 1,590.

Grasim zoomed nearly 7% (Rs 88) to Rs 1,390.

HDFC added 2.5% (Rs 23) to Rs 939. Bharti, BHEL, Dr. Reddy's, Hero Honda and Tata Steel also closed with gains.

Jindal Stainless jumped over 20% (Rs 25) to Rs 149.

AV Birla group scrips - Indian Rayon, Birla Global and Indo Fertiliser - finished on a mixed note after the proposed merger. Indo Gulf moved up 10% (Rs 17) to Rs 186. Birla Global was locked at its 5% upper limit at Rs 150 - a gain of Rs 7. Indian Rayon, however, dropped over 6% (Rs 39) to Rs 578.

Sterling Biotech was the most active counter with a turnover of Rs 153 crore followed by Sasken (Rs 134 crore), Reliance (Rs 81 crore), SBI (Rs 49 core) and GTC (Rs 43 crore).