Sensex ends up 346pts, Infosys gains 6%

The Sensex opened with a negative gap of 114 points to 15,694, and slipped to a low of 15,573 - down 235 points from the previous close - due to negative cues from the global markets.

Buying in technology stocks, following the in-line numbers from Infosys, helped the index rebound into positive zone. As buying spread to other sectors, the index rallied to a high of 16,249 - up 676 points from the day's low.

The Sensex finally ended with a gain of 346 points (%) at 16,154.

The BSE IT Index zoomed 5.5% (203 points) to 3,863.

The market breadth was fairly positive - out of 2,709 stocks traded, 1,785 advanced, 873 declined and 51 were unchanged today.

The NSE Nifty ended with a gain 102 points at 4,880.

INDEX MOVERS...

Infosys surged over 6% to Rs 1,511. TCS gained over 7% at Rs 975. Wipro and Satyam rallied around 4.5% each to Rs 425 and Rs 452, respectively.

Among other technology stocks - HCL Technologies, i-flex, MphasiS, NIIT Tech, Patni Computers, Rolta and Tech Mahindra - gained 3-7% each.

Ranbaxy zoomed 8.6% to Rs 482. Reliance Communications gained 5.4% at Rs 520.

Hindustan Unilever moved up 4.4% to Rs 245. DLF gained 3.3% at Rs 617. Maruti and NTPC added 2.8% each to close at Rs 760 and Rs 191, respectively.

ONGC, ICICI Bank and Reliance advanced nearly 2.5% each to Rs 1,025, Rs 807 and Rs 2,609, respectively.

Cipla and Jaiprakash Associates were up over 2% each at Rs 219 and Rs 219, respectively. ITC added nearly 2% to Rs 208.

...AND THE SHAKERS

Hindalco slipped 1.6% to Rs 174. HDFC Bank and Ambuja Cements were down almost 1% each at Rs 1,315 and Rs 117, respectively.

MOST ACTIVE COUNTERS

Orchid Chemicals topped the value chart with a turnover of Rs 453.30 crore followed by Reliance (Rs 373.50 crore), Reliance Petroleum (Rs 299.25 crore), Reliance Natural Resources (Rs 234 crore) and Reliance Capital (Rs 196.30 crore).

Reliance Natural Resources led the volume chart with trades of around 2.28 crore shares followed by Orchid Chemicals (1.65 crore), Reliance Petroleum (1.60 crore), Sita Shree Foods (1.43 crore) and Kashyap Tech (1.33 crore).