Sensex firmly above 9600

The Sensex continues to hold fort above the 9600-mark. The index is now up 88 points at 9627.

Reliance is up 1% at Rs 929. NTPC has gained 2.3% at Rs 115. However, ONGC is down 1.6% at Rs 1,190.

While ITC is up 2.9% at Rs 147, HLL is down 0.5% at Rs 195.

Satyam is firm at Rs 766, up 3%. Infosys at Rs 3,047 and Wipro at Rs 480 are up over 1% each. TCS is marginally up at Rs 1,737.

Tata Motors at Rs 657 and Bajaj Auto at Rs 2,047 have posted smart gains. On the other hand Maruti has declined over 1% to Rs 658, and Hero Honda is also in red at Rs 857.

ICICI Bank at Rs 614, HDFC Bank at Rs 722 and SBI at Rs 921 are up 1% each.

BHEL and Larsen & Toubro are also up 1% each at Rs 1,425 and Rs 1,850, respectively.

Advances are ahead of declines - out of 2,534 stocks traded on the BSE, so far, 1,424 have moved up, 1,048 have declined and the rest are unchanged.

Among other gainers - JB Chemicals has soared over 8% to Rs 113. Syndicate Bank has surged 7.7% to Rs 92.70, and VisualSoft has gained 6% at Rs 262. Union Bank, Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Corporation Bank, Birla Corporation, Dredging, Dena Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Jindal Stainless, Sterlite Industries, Gillette and GlaxoSmithKline Pharma are up 3-5% each.

IndusInd Bank has slipped over 3% to Rs 59. FACT at Rs 34.75 and Merck at Rs 574 are down over 2% each. Ballarpur Industries, RCF, Alok Industries, EIH, Dabur, National Fertilisers, Arvind Mills, Gujarat Narmada, Escorts, Punjab Tractors, Tamilnadu Newsprint and Welspun Guj have declined 1-2% each.