Sensex gains 45pts; BHEL zooms 5%

The Sensex opened with a positive gap of 39 points at 6,673, and zoomed past the 6,700-mark to touch a new all-time high of 6,719 in noon deals. After moving in a narrow range for most part of the trading session, the index slipped to 6,660 on profit-taking at higher levels. The Sensex finally closed with a gain of 45 points at 6,679.

While 19 index scrips advanced with a volume of 80 lakh shares totalling Rs 454 crore, 11 declined with a volume of 56 lakh shares for Rs 240 crore.

Infosys was firm right through the session, and gained over 3% (Rs 66) to Rs 2,169. While Satyam was up 2.7% (Rs 11) to Rs 421, Wipro advanced over 2% (Rs 16) to Rs 711.

SBI moved up 1.8% (Rs 12) to Rs 666. ITC dropped 1.3% (Rs 17) to Rs 1,317. HLL dropped over 2% (Rs 3) to Rs 152. Reliance was down nearly a per cent (Rs 5) at Rs 543.

BHEL zoomed over 5% (Rs 42) to Rs 860.

ACC declined over a per cent (Rs 5) to Rs 374. While Gujarat Ambuja also declined over a per cent (Rs 5) to Rs 447, Grasim was up 0.6% (Rs 8) at Rs 1,360.

Hero Honda was steady right through the day, and closed with a gain of over 2% (Rs 13) at Rs 564. Bajaj was down over a per cent (Rs 13) at Rs 1,074. Maruti slipped 1.5% (Rs 8) to Rs 491.

Bharti added nearly 3% (Rs 6) to Rs 215. ICICI Bank moved up 1.6% (Rs 6) to Rs 381. Tisco was up 1.4% (Rs 6) at Rs 404. Ranbaxy was up Rs 6 at Rs 1,051. Dr. Reddy's, Cipla and Hindalco also closed with gains.

The BSE Teck index advanced 2.5% (42 points) to 1,759. MphasiS BFL zoomed 5% (Rs 13) to Rs 258 after the announcement of the acquisition of the London-based Princeton Consulting.

VSNL gaind over 4.5% (Rs 10) to Rs 229. TCS was up 2% (Rs 25) at Rs 1,407. i-flex also moved up 2% (Rs 14) to Rs 642. HCL Tech, Polaris, Patni, Tata Elxsi,  also finished at higher levels today.

SAIL topped the volume chart with trades of over 1.31 crore shares followed by Jindal Vijaynagar with a volume of 1.30 crore shares and GV Films at 94 lakh shares.

The broad market was in bearish mode with over 1,400 scrips declining as against advances of over 1,000 shares today.